


Mending the Wings of a Gryphon

by Narvinya



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canonical Character Death, Chronic Illness, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, M/M, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:28:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 85,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27248056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narvinya/pseuds/Narvinya
Summary: Crown Prince Dimitri’s life had never consisted of many surprises. He was expected to get engage to a certain noblewoman and crown as king of Faerghus on his 23rd birthday. Everything changes the moment he came across a mysterious warrior who saved him during an ambush, taking the prince’s heart with him.Yet, without a king ruling the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, the kingdom faces threats inside out. There were accounts and reports that a mysterious army led by the ‘Flame Emperor’ had been attacking village across Fodlan. Just days before his coronation, the castle was stormed by assassins and the kingdom fell into chaos.With the help of his friends, Dimitri embarked on a quest in search for the mysterious warrior who captivated his heart. He never expected that he would find something he had been missing for years. Together, they would put an end to the atrocities of war and forge a new path of peace within Fodlan.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Felix Hugo Fraldarius
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9
Collections: Dimilix Big Bang





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri prepares to leave on a mission but was ambushed on his way. He had a fateful encounter with a mysterious warrior who looked familiar to him.

He remembered running past bodies of fallen soldiers, calling out for his father, stepmother, or whoever he could recognize. He ran and ran and ran, but there seemed to be no sight of anyone alive. His legs finally gave up and his knees hit the ground as he panted heavily and tried to regain his breath.

“Found ya, you little princeling!” He heard someone say. “If I bring them your head, I’m going to reap tons of rewards. Oh yes, the country of Faerghus is going to be mine!”

“Your Highness, get away from here!” Someone called out as the person suddenly jumped in front of him to block his attacker. His blade clashed with his attacker’s but he only managed to hold on for a while before the attacker fished out a dagger and jabbed his saviour in the gut. The man fell to the ground, his hand trying to stop blood from flowing out from his open wound. “Your Highness, please… Run away before they catch you…” He managed to utter before the attacker stabbed his sword into his back, killing him.

“No… Please stop!” He reached out to the fallen man, his blood staining his hands as they touched the open wounds. He is alone, all alone in this world! Having lost all the energy to run, he curled up and began to weep, letting the tears overflow.

“Why did you do this to me?” The fallen man suddenly said. “You killed my brother and you let me die…” He lifted his head, only to see the fallen man had been replaced by another, a young man with long blue hair and eyes of the setting sun, his feature marred by streaks of blood colouring his face. “You left us to die… You burned your country into ruins…”

_ I killed them, I killed them, I killed them… _ Those thoughts continued to haunt him as he felt his world crumble. “N-No… I didn’t do this! T-This isn’t my fault…”

Dimitri’s eyes snapped open as he jolted upright from his bed. He had to inhale several times before he finally adjusted to his surroundings, taking in the familiar furniture in his quarters at Fhirdiad Castle. “A nightmare, again…” He muttered to himself as he wiped off the sweat on his forehead, trying to calm himself down. It was a terrible nightmare, one he thought he had finally made peace with a long time ago.

* * *

“You’re early today, Your Highness?” Dedue greeted him the moment he stepped out of his room.

“We are on an important scouting mission today. I want to be as early as possible so that we can get things prepared.” Dimitri told him. “Would you mind helping me check on the horses? It will be a long ride to Rowe’s territory.”

His uncle, Grand Duke Itha greeted him at the dining table. “Morning, Uncle. What brought you here today?”

“I heard that you will be leading the troops to inspect Rowe Territory.” His uncle said. “There has been so much trouble recently. It worries me that you have been overworking yourself.”

“I’m doing fine, Uncle. There’s no need for your concern.” Dimitri said calmly, taking a seat across the table. “I will just be assisting Count Rowe to quell the rebellions in the county. Sylvain will also be following me, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Ah, the son of Margrave Gautier huh?” Rufus mused a bit. “There have been a lot of troubles within the kingdom recently. I don’t see for what purpose the rebels could benefit from causing riots.”

“Uncle, I am sure you are aware that many people are starving. There have not been enough stock supplies for the people recently; they have neither enough food on their platters nor wool to keep them warm. They did what they only could to survive.” Dimitri tried to explain. “Perhaps you could help me survey the crops at Tailtean Plains. It would be helpful if we could try to enhance productivity to produce more food stock.”

“And what would you expect me to do?” Rufus questioned back. “It’s not like I can be much help at all. You wouldn’t be expecting me to plough the field or weed it, would you? We will have to urge the nobles to put more work into producing more food just so that the people won’t starve.”

Dimitri let out a sigh. There was no way for him to persuade his uncle to be more involved with politics. The man cared for nothing but indulging in pleasantry. The nobles had been complaining about many issues arising in the Kingdom but he did little to solve it. Cornelia had tried her best but with limited progress. They expected that there would likely be a famine soon if they did not produce enough food stock by the end of the summer season. That would mean more people are going to starve, and bandits are going to raid villages for the sake of food and money.

“Is there anything else you wish to inform me of? Other than this food problem or the rebellion at Rowe Territory?” Rufus asked again. “As much as I hate you piling up the work on my desk, I will have to see it through.”

_ I don’t think I should entrust you with anything… _ Dimitri thought as he tried to come up with a proper excuse. “I received word that Count Galatea will be coming to Fhirdiad to help me manage domestic affairs, so he should be able to handle most of the work. I expect you to help him as much as possible to ensure that everything goes smoothly in my absence.”

He finished with his preparation for the morning and Dedue helped him put on his riding and battle armour before accompanying him to the castle gate where the soldiers were preparing for the expedition. Sylvain spotted them and walked up to him with his horse.

“Mornin’ Your Highness, I’ve saddled your horse for ya.” He greeted as he handed over the horse’s rein to him. “Our men are more than ready to go. We just need your input to begin the march.”

“Thank you, Sylvain. I can see that you are as carefree as ever.” Dimitri joked at him. “Or are you thinking about chasing some maiden when we go to Rowe?”

“What makes you think that?” Sylvain made a face as if he had been insulted. “I’m sure you remember the last time I tried flirting with a beautiful girl at Rowe and her father came at me with a lance and tried to kill me. I’m not going to do that a second time!”

“A wise choice from Sylvain.” Dimitri suppressed a laugh. He gave his horse’s mane a ruffle as he inspected the reins and saddle. “Get our men to prepare to depart. It will be a long ride before we reach Rowe.”

* * *

The troops marched their way to the West of the Kingdom. The ride had been uneventful so far. Eventually they arrived at the border of Magdred Way where they would have to cross Gaspard Territory to reach Rowe. Dimitri decided that everyone should take some time to rest up before they were to continue, fearing that they would have to cross swords with the rebels when they eventually reached Rowe.

Just then, an arrow flew into the camp and notched just inches away from where one of the soldiers was sitting. The men nearby let out a yelp as they began scrambling away. Their attacker seemed to know the group had been set into panic and began raining arrows at them.

“We’re being attacked!” One of the soldiers called out as they tried to shield or dodge the arrows.

Dimitri scanned his surroundings, but the dense fog in the area gave him poor visibility. The enemy was clearly trying to take advantage of the situation to attack them. “We can’t fight back in a situation like this! Everyone, draw back!” Dimitri commanded.

“We can’t escape!” One of the leaders informed him. “Our enemies flanked the only exit path. We’re surrounded!”

“Damn it, they must’ve planned this and ambushed us!” Dimitri cursed. “It seems like we have no choice but to push forward, but in a situation like this, we’re at a disadvantage.”

“Hold on, Your Highness.” Sylvain interrupted. “Why don’t I lead a smaller force to help scout an exit path? The rest of you try to hold on the enemy lines and stop them from advancing.”

“I am not sure if that will work out, but as long as we can get out of here. We have to do whatever it takes.” As an experienced commander on the battlefield, he gave his command to the people, clear and confident. “Listen up, enemies are trying to attack us. Stay together in a group and hold down the fort for as long as you can. Make sure to cover each other’s back and don’t stray on your own. Group Two, you will be tasked with securing an escape path for us. Young Lord Gautier will be leading you all, stay vigilant and we will all make it out together!” The soldiers got into their respective formation as soon as he gave his word. Sylvain led some of the men away from the group as they scoured the area for an exit path. Dedue came to stand next to him, ready to protect him from all harm.

The enemies began engaging them. The cavalry and armour units stood in the front line shielding the rest from any impending attack. From behind, holy knights, archers and mages struck down any enemies from afar while supporting their allies to keep them from falling. It all had been going well, until a fireball was suddenly dropped on them, breaking the formation.

“A ranged fire attack!” Dimitri cursed, inspecting the damage done. The formation had been broken. A number of their men were still alive but injured. Even if they could continue to battle, Dimitri would not want to risk them. The mages had turned their attention to tending the wounded so there was no way he could tell them to hold the line.

“I never expected the Kingdom’s army to be so weak.” He heard someone insult. “Taking all of you down is a piece of cake.” He stepped out from the fog, revealing himself to Dimitri. “After all, you weren’t expecting any attack behind this fog, did you?”

“It is a coward’s trick to attack enemies while they’re unguarded.” Dimitri scorned. “Are you the leader of the rebels in Rowe Territory?”

“Does the answer matter to you?” He taunted light-heartedly. “What matters now is to stop you all from entering Rowe Territory. I won’t let you get past us so easily!” He summoned his men to join him in the assault. “It’s either you leave here or die here!”

“Your Highness, get down!” Dedue quickly came to his aid and defended him. Dimitri fought off some of the rebels but with the numbers of soldiers capable of fighting, they now faced another problem. Sylvain also had not returned from scouting so their chances at winning were rather slim. Dimitri tried to attack their leader but he dodged his attack every time his lance tried to hit him. The enemy obviously had the advantage over them, with the knowledge of the landscape and their traps all over the place. If they couldn’t come up with a proper plan they would be doomed.

“Dedue, protect the wounded soldiers!” Dimitri commanded, but Dedue hesitated for a bit. “We still have enough men standing to fend them off but we cannot let the injured risk being attacked.” Seeing it as an order, Dedue obeyed Dimitri’s words and went to protect the injured soldiers, but he still kept a watchful eye on Dimitri and the small group of soldiers.

“Pathetic, can’t even take care of these lowly rebels?” He heard a voice. It did not sound familiar, but he couldn't help but feel he had heard it somewhere before. “I expected you to be more of a beast when it comes to the battlefield.”

All of a sudden, there was a flash of light right in front of him. When the blinding light faded, the spot was now occupied by a man around his age, a few inches shorter than him. His body was slender, with delicate but strong facial features as reflected in his amber eyes. He had long dark blue hair which was tied neatly in a bun, the very blue that represents the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus itself. Unlike most knights that wore armour, the man’s clothing was mostly made of lightweight fabric and leather, with the shades of blue he wore matched well with his hair. What caught his eyes however, was the shield strapped on his left arm, giving off a glow that seemed to threaten anyone who tried to cross him.

“Who are you?!” The rebel leader demanded.

“Does it matter to you?” The man retorted back. “You have been causing trouble to the people, so I have come to cut down all of you.”

“Hah, you plan on taking us down all on your own?! Don’t make us laugh!” The leader snarled at them. “If you dare to stand in my way, then I will have to kill you all!”

“Who’s standing in your way?” The man rolled his eyes. “We gave you a chance to go, but if a fight is what you want, I will give it to you. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.”

“Wait.” Dimitri called out, placing a hand on his shoulder. “This is not your business here. Please don’t trouble yourself fighting them.”

The man swatted his hand away before turning to face him. “Your business is MY business.” He said, and Dimitri was instantly silenced by his words, for some reason he could not explain. “Please stay out of this. I don’t want you to get hurt.” His words barely made any sense to him, but Dimitri couldn’t help but trust every word he said, as if there was some gentle force beneath that sarcastic tone.

“If you’re so full of yourself, get a taste of my blade!” The leader called upon his remaining men to take care of him. The bandits let out a roar as they raised their weapons to attack him. Unfazed, the swordsman confidently drew out his sword and charged at them without any hesitation.

Dimitri could barely watch, fearful for the stranger’s fate, but at the same time, he found himself entranced by the swordsman’s movement. Despite all the attacks raining down on him, the man spun and twirled around as if his body was made of fluid. His blade reflected the light everytime he swung it and cut the enemy down. His movements, swift and ferocious, the results of years of training and honing his skills. To Dimitri, he was like a dancer in the middle of a battlefield, deadly and untouchable, yet beautiful at the same time.

With a swift thrust, his blade pierced through the leader’s shoulder, causing a fair amount of blood to spill from the wound. The leader grunted in pain but refused to yield despite most of his men falling. He raised his axe and attempted to cut him, but the swordsman quickly blocked the attack with his blade, albeit barely. His face was too close to the axe which cut open a thin bloody gash on one side of his cheeks. Yet he held his ground as he kept the axe at bay before delivering a painful kick to the leader’s gut, sending him falling.

The bandit leader intended to get up but his wounds made it too painful for him to move. The rest who saw their leader fall had no choice but to call the order to retreat. “We cannot risk any more. If this continues, it will attract the attention of House Gaspard and House Rowe. We have to retreat!” Those who were still able to stand staggered to their feet while some carried their injured leader and left the scene with tails between their legs. The leader managed a grunt as he was carried off, but not before he sent a warning, “You may have gotten away this time, but next time we will have your head for sure.”

“You Highness, is it alright to let them go?” Dedue questioned as the rebels ran away from the scene.

“If they’re retreating, they will probably retreat into Gaspard or Rowe territory. By letting them go, we should be able to locate their hideout later, which is the root of the problem.” Dimitri said, surveying his men’s situation. Almost everyone had received an injury but they were still in good shape. He told the healers to do their job tending to the wounded and asked that Dedue help bring some water. Once Dedue left, he finally turned back to the man.

“Thank you, stranger. My words cannot express my gratitude. But it’s because of you that we are able to make our way safely.” Dimitri bowed towards the stranger, thanking him for his help. That intense fight just now must have worn him down, his feet were stumbling and some strands of hair fell loose from his bun and framed his face, his chest heaving as he tried to regain his breath.

“I don’t get it though.” The man threw his hands in the air in exasperation. “There are so many of you and yet you can’t even take care of mere bandits. I was expecting the crown prince of Faerghus to be a great warrior.”

“Oh? So you know who I am? I guess that saves some introduction. But it would only be fair if you would share your name too. You’re our saviour after all, I must make sure to repay you for what you did today.”

The man seemed to hesitate for a moment as he avoided eye contact with Dimitri, muttering something he couldn’t quite catch. “I just helped you because it would be trouble for the kingdom if the crown prince was killed,” he finally said. “The name’s Felix, by the way.”

“Felix… W-Well, at least that is one problem solved.” He wished to continue talking but then Sylvain was calling out for him. The redhead returned back with the troops who seemed out of breath as well.

“Sorry for the long wait, Your Highness.” He said when he finally came face to face with Dimitri. “Some of the bandits tried to attack us and we almost got lost in the midst of the fight, but it seems like the bandits were retreating and we managed to secure an exit from Magdred Way.”

“Thank you, Sylvain. Let our men rest and heal for a while. We will be leaving once everyone has recovered.” Dimitri told him.

“Speaking of which, I saw a fireball hurled towards here. Is everyone alright?” Sylvain scanned their surroundings, noting the number of injured soldiers who were being treated.

“We’re alright. It’s all thanks to Felix…”

“Wait, who’s Felix?”

“Ah, that’s a long story.” Dimitri turned around to try to call for Felix only to find that the man had disappeared, as if he did not exist at all. “… He was just here a minute ago… And now he’s gone.”

“Are you sure that’s Felix? Or did you actually see him?” Sylvain asked. He sounded more surprised rather than curious.

“Of course I saw him. I am serious about this, Sylvain.” Dimitri insisted. “We would have been wiped out just now if not for him. He took down the bandits all alone. But he seems like he’s being mysterious and he didn’t tell me much except for his name.”

Sylvain opened his mouth, another question planning to come out of it, but he decided not to press on. He could tell that Dimitri was being serious about it and wasn’t lying about this mysterious warrior. There was no point in asking him any more questions when the man in question was not here. “Perhaps he does not wish to let us know too much about him,” he finally said. “What matters is that all of us are safe for now. We should depart before dusk is upon us.”

The rest of the day carried on without any interruption. Count Rowe welcomed the group as they arrived at Rowe Territory and let them stay in Rowe Castle. The journey and the mission just now had left the group exhausted, so many of the soldiers had retired for the night after the meal was served. Dedue helped Dimitri remove his armour before he dismissed him, stating that he would handle the rest by himself. As the night continued on, Dimitri let his thoughts wander, the image of the mysterious warrior who appeared at the battlefield today lingering in his mind — his bravery in fending off the bandits, how his hair danced in the air as he battled and those eyes that shone brighter than the sun... All those images remained etched in his memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been tempting to write a FE Fanfic for a long time and hence my first FE Fanfic. Dimilix has been my OTP ever since the game release which push me to sign up for this Big Bang. I find Dimilix a rather emotional duo as the two of them were close yet distant and the story made their character development rather deep.  
> Artwork is done by Cobaltcandi, she has amazing art style: https://twitter.com/cobaltcandi?lang=en  
> And here are my awesome beta readers, Jawsoflife and Citrusorangee: https://twitter.com/citrusorangeee


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri deals with bandits and Edelgard gave him a warning.

Rowe County has been overrun by bandits in the past two months. Despite the nobles’ efforts in increasing patrols and inspections done on the villages, the bandits still remained at large. The people were desperate, the farmers not having enough food to feed their families and the merchants not wanting to conduct business in fear of losing their goods and fortune.

Count Rowe had given him a report of the bandits’ past raid.. A few days ago, a group of merchants were attacked by bandits while travelling through Agder Path from Mateus to Rowe. Then just yesterday night, the bandits razed one of the villager’s fields and stole their livestock.

Dimitri could tell how the bandits have affected people’s lives. The fields were in bad condition, crops and houses damaged. In the past few days in Rowe Territory, Dimitri had gone to survey the nearby villages together with Count Rowe and Lord Gwendal. There were families who barely had enough to eat, let alone last through the winter. Children and wives who lost their parents and husbands to bandits had nothing but themselves to fend for a living. The bandits were the ones to blame for all this suffering.

“The bandits seem to be aware of the movements of the Kingdom knights.” Sylvain commented. “Otherwise they would have been caught by the knights on patrol, but they seemed to predict the knights’ movements and always leave the scene just before the knights arrived.”

“Indeed. Our patrols were always a minute late into rescuing the villagers,” Count Rowe said. “Should we try to increase our patrolmen so that we have a better chance of catching them?”

“We can do that. But does it guarantee that we can catch the bandits?” Dimitri questioned. “Perhaps we should charge head on at the bandit base, that should rid us of the root of the problem.”

“But the problem is we do not know where the bandits are hiding,” Lord Gwendal said. “If we knew about it, we would have taken action already, but the bandits are working very discreetly, so even the knights have made little progress in locating their hideout.”

“So that’s the point of the plan,” Dimitri decided. “We should ask our patrols to keep an eye on the villagers or anywhere where the bandits could possibly appear. Should they mount an attack, we should be able to follow them to find their hideout.”

Count Rowe snorted in agreement. “It looks like this is the only plan we have at the moment. I will tell my men to keep up with the patrol and watch out for any bandits in sight.”

“I am surprised you would suggest such an idea.” Sylvain told him after the meeting adjourned. “I thought you would suggest that we search for the bandits’ hideout ourselves.”

“That was part of my plan.” Dimitri admitted. “But with only us doing it will take too much time, so sending the men out for patrol is one part of the ruse. I will be sneaking into the ranks to survey the village more closely. That way I can figure out the location of the bandits’ hideout myself.”

“Then at least let me come with you,” Sylvain said. “It is dangerous for the crown prince to walk alone unguarded,” he added. “Not only that: those bandits almost had us back at Magdred Way. They’re not to be underestimated.”

Dimitri looked around for a moment, just to ensure that no one was within earshot. “I appreciate your concern, Sylvain. But from the movement of the bandits reported just now, I can’t help but have a hunch about their next target,” he told Sylvain, keeping his voice under control. “But if I voice it out during the meeting, they will try to increase security in that area. Then the bandits will change their plan and it will all be for naught.”

“I know what you’re getting at, Dimitri.” Sylvain murmured. “So you are intending to inspect that place yourself?”

“That’s my plan. Care to join me?”

“Not like I could say no, right? If something were to happen to you, I don’t think I would make it out alive.”

* * *

The next morning, he managed to convince Dedue to let him go out riding. The Duscur man was insistent on following him, but he told him Sylvain would be accompanying him and reassured him that they would be back before lunch time.

The two of them travelled across the villages in Rowe Territory, particularly the places where the bandits had attacked before. They searched for places where the bandits could be hiding and even asked the people if there were any suspicious people in sight. There was information about the bandits’ whereabouts and their activities, yet they were still unable to pinpoint the bandit base camp.

“I say, Your Highness,” Sylvain spoke up. “We have been travelling around for more than two hours already, but there are still no hints about where the bandits could be. Perhaps we should go back and ask if the knights have found anything yet.”

“I just can’t help feeling uneasy.” Dimitri said, slowing his horse down a bit. “I just have a hunch that the bandits will be attacking somewhere around here.” He looked around. “Speaking of which, I remembered that Baron Olfus lived somewhere around this village. Perhaps we should pay him a visit and ask if he has any information about the bandits.”

Luck seemed to be on their side, apparently. Baron Olfus informed them that his men caught sight of a few suspicious people lurking around his estate. He worried that the bandits were targeting his house to rob their treasury, so he asked if Dimitri could help them in catching the bandits.

With this newfound information, they raced back to Rowe Castle and brought the matter to Count Rowe. On the other hand, Count Rowe brought him other news as well; the knights had met up with the bandits when patrolling at the village north of Castle Rowe. The bandits escaped, but they left one of their comrades as a scapegoat. The man was now being interrogated by Lord Gwendal.

“Hopefully we can get something useful out of it.” Dimitri mused as he waited for the news.

“Trust me, Lord Gwendal can be pretty scary when he wants to be.” Sylvain reassured. “He’s one of those generals who could make a beast quiver.”

Lord Gwendal’s interrogation technique had yielded results. The prisoner confessed that the bandits had been pillaging in Rowe Territory for the past months. He also told Lord Gwendal that the bandits had set up base in the abandoned Tullow Tower and planned to break into Baron Olfus’ mansion the day after tomorrow to steal some of the treasury.

“So it has all come clear as ice.” Count Rowe mused. “We should send our troops to apprehend the bandits before they begin their attack”

“Make it fast,” one of his advisers said. “They are probably aware that one of their friends has been caught, so they may try to change their plan or move away from their current hideout.”

The knights ended up launching an attack on the bandits as soon as they received word. The siege went on without much hindrance and the leader of the gang was caught, although some had managed to escape. During the search, the knights had raided the gold and some food supplies they had stolen from the villagers.

“This amount of gold and food should be able to last the villagers for a month.” Lord Gwendal reported after returning from the raid. “Count Rowe decided to distribute the goods we recovered back to the people.”

“Let’s hope that this is the end of it.” Dimitri said, dismissing everyone. “As for the prisoners, maybe we should try to help them seek a proper job so that they can feed themselves. Considering that the Kingdom is lacking some labour force, perhaps they can put their hands to good use instead of giving us trouble.”

“A fine suggestion, Your Highness. I will discuss it with Count Rowe. Thank you for your help.”

“Thank you, Your Highness. My words cannot express my gratitude.” Dedue bowed towards Dimitri. “I am sure you noticed that some of the bandits are from Duscur. They are not bad after all, but hardship gave them no choice.”

“I understand what you’re trying to tell me, Dedue. The people of Duscur are still being discriminated against even years after the Tragedy.” Dimitri said. “It is my duty to see that everyone is treated equally and given the rights they deserve. I must prove to the people that the people of Duscur are innocent in the Tragedy. They do not deserve to be treated that way.”

“You saved me once. And I am sure that you will save the people of Duscur as well.” Dedue smiled, a rare sight. “I have faith in you.”

“Speaking of,” Sylvain interrupted. “If it is true that the bandits rebelled because they don’t have a job, an income and food, then did they attack us for the same reason?”

“What are talking about, Sylvain?” Dimitri asked. “I recognized some of the prisoners. They were the group of bandits who attacked us back at Magdred Way, but I’m sure they meant no harm.”

“I hope that things are that simple.” Sylvain informed him. “But do you recall the attack at Magdred Way? They weren’t asking for gold from us — they wanted your head,” he added. “A bandit does not hesitate to kill, but not because they are driven by revenge or murderous intent. It is because they are desperate for their living needs.”

Dedue sank into thought for a moment. “That was important information you provided, Sylvain. It is true that the bandits were aiming to kill His Highness, but they don’t seem interested in our gold.”

That thought plagued Dimitri’s mind for a moment. He had been so busy getting a report from the knights that he had overlooked this little detail. He figured that he would like to interrogate the leader later for their motives but after a while he decided to just forgive the man.

“I understand both of your concerns,” he finally said. “But I decided to forgive them. They are people who were in desperate need. And I can see that they were regretful of their actions. I believe in them and they will change for the better.”

“I understand what you are trying to do. But don’t forget to keep your guard up, ya know?” Sylvain reminded him. “There are some people who want the royal family out of their way. It’s best that we practice caution when dealing with people.”

* * *

With things settled in Rowe County, Dimitri had decided to depart for Fhirdiad the next day. But then on the morning of the day of departure, a messenger came to him and informed him that the Emperor of Adrestia had arrived at the Faerghus border. She had also requested an audience with the Crown Prince if he was available.

“So El decided to stop by for a visit? What a coincidence.” He muttered after reading the brief letter Edelgard delivered by the messenger.

“Is it alright to visit her?” Sylvain asked. “It seems to be coming out of nowhere. And she didn’t even mention the purpose of her visit.”

“Who knows? But since we’re quite close to where she is right now, I don’t see why we shouldn’t visit her. There must be something she wants to tell me if she had a message sent in such a hurry.”

“If you insist, I will inform our men and send some of them to follow you.” Sylvain said before leaving the room.

Hours later, the Crown Prince of Faerghus was travelling towards Arianrhod where the emperor had promised to meet up. They crossed the fort and marched westward towards the Brionac Plateau where Edelgard and her faithful advisor were there waiting for their arrival.

“Long time no see, Crown Prince of Faerghus.” Edelgard greeted him the moment. “I am glad to see that you’re doing well.”

“It’s good to see you too, El.” Dimitri greeted back. “Though I was a bit surprised when you suddenly requested to meet me all of a sudden. I suppose there’s something important you want to tell me.”

“I apologize for the sudden notice. But since I came by the Faerghus border, I decided that I should stop by to meet up with you.” Edelgard said, tucking some of her brown hair behind her ears. “Recently, there has been turmoil in Adrestia.”

“I can’t say that the condition in Faerghus is any different.” Dimitri informed her. “There are bandits pillaging all over the land. We have our hands full of dealing with them.”

“That is just one of the problems we face.” Edelgard said. “The Adrestian Empire now faces the threat of being caught up in a civil war of sorts.”

“A civil war, you say? Now that is something to worry about.”

“There is a mysterious figure in the Empire. He calls himself the Flame Emperor,” Edelgard added. “Hubert and some other nobles informed me of large scale attacks in the villages. The atrocities he did to the people are rather… unsettling, I might say” She added on. “Despite all the efforts by the nobles and the knights, the Flame Emperor has never been caught, nor can his whereabouts be pinpointed.”

“Why would he do such things?” Dimitri asked. “What could he gain from doing such horrendous things to the people?”

“We can’t fathom it ourselves.” Edelgard sighed, and Dimitri could see how the stress caught up with her as she rubbed her temple. “He declared that the world is corrupted and how he would recreate a new world where people could wield power equal to the goddess.”

“That is unsettling, indeed.” Dimitri mused. “You must be careful, El. This Flame Emperor you’re speaking of… Perhaps we should work together to stop him...”

“I appreciate what you’re trying to do for me, Dimitri.” Edelgard cut him off before he could say any more. “I just came here to give you a warning about the impending danger. The Flame Emperor could also be targeting your country as well, you better be cautious about it. He is no simple foe.” She added, “In the meantime, it is best that we keep our contact as minimal as possible. The search did not yield any results, but Hubert believes that the Flame Emperor has spies all around the empire. He could also be watching my actions now. If we work together too closely, he will try to stir trouble in your country as well, so it’s best you don’t try to catch his attention.”

“I understand, El. But please promise me you will be careful as well. This Flame Emperor may be targeting you already.” Dimitri urged. “If you were to fall, Fodlan would be in peril.”

“Thank you, Dimitri.” Edelgard gave a faint smile. “I am stronger than you know. The road ahead of us will be full of venomous snakes, but I refuse to yield, because it is my duty to lead the people in such precarious moments. I hope that you share the same sentiment. Until then, farewell.”

“May the goddess be on your side, El,” Dimitri murmured as he watched the Empire’s soldiers draw back into Arundel Territory. He let Edelgard’s words sink into his mind. Fodlan… No, the world was on the brink of trouble. Edelgard had warned him, and it was his duty to protect Fodlan from the forces led by this mysterious Flame Emperor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a little footnote about this story. The story is set in Year 1185, war did not break out and all students managed to graduate from Garreg Mach Monastery. Although the monastery is linked to the Church of Seiros but Rhea did not lead the church, the Nabateans led a separate life from the humans. Also, there is a change in some of the characters backstory like Dedue is one of the students who did not attend the monastery. If you take note of the story plot, you may find the differences compare to the canon story.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trouble brewed in the kingdom and Dimitri met the Flame Emperor for the first time.

Summer and autumn in Faerghus are relatively short compared to other regions of Fodlan. This year’s winter was no exception from the other years. As soon as Horsebow Moon was nearing its end and the warmth dwindled down, the people began preparations for the winter ahead.

Despite the fact that it was only the beginning of winter on Wyvern Moon, blankets of snow had already covered the northern part of the kingdom. It was expected that this year’s winter would be a harsh one, something that Dimitri feared. This year’s harvest would not be a good one either; if he did not secure an alternate source of food, the people would starve into the late winter.

Count Galatea had sent an envoy to the Alliance Territory in hopes of securing extra food stock with them. If the negotiations went well, the Kingdom should be able to secure enough food to last until next year's Pegasus Moon and the people would not be facing food shortage. Still, trading with the Alliance could incur large expenses for the Kingdom. Considering that harvests in winter were scarce, usually people earned a living by hunting animals or making winter clothing. Dimitri had considered making trades with the Alliance in hope of alleviating the treasury problem.

He sifted through piles of reports and letters on his desk. There had been several trivial issues here and there about the heavy snowstorm, food scarcity and bandit problem in certain regions. But Dimitri could hardly pay attention to every single one of them, having little to no interest in dealing with all these matters. There were too many things going through his head right now.

Just last week, Grand Duke Rufus had informed him that his coronation would be held on his 23 rd birthday, which was two months away. It sounded like everything had been planned in a rush, but again, he knew that Faerghus was desperate for a king to lead them during tough times like these. Ever since his father had died in the tragedy of Duscur ten years ago, order within the kingdom had disintegrated. Every day the people suffered. They needed a king who could restore order in the country, someone to lead them in mending the broken realm. Yet, Dimitri continued to doubt himself. Was he even ready to take over the throne, to succeed his father as the new king of Faerghus? Those questions had continued to plague him for the past decade. There were so many uncertainties that he didn't have answers to. All he needed was someone who could help him shoulder his burdens as a ruler, to be by his side to guide him and listen to his voice, someone to be his pillar of support in trying times, like when the people needed him.

“Dimitri, are you in there?” Someone knocked on the door. He recognized it as his uncle’s voice.

“Uncle, is there anything you need?” He opened the door and let him in.

“The preparations for Kingdom Founding Day are almost done.” Rufus informed him. “As usual, House Charon will be hosting a tournament in the center of Fhirdiad. The performers for the parade have been set as well. All that is left is to ensure enough food is provided to the civilians and participants.”

“Uncle, I thank you for helping me with planning for the event. But I would prefer if we tone down the festivities. After all, we’re on a tight budget. It would be better if we could make good use of the money to help the civilians, instead of wasting it on the celebration.” Dimitri said as he scanned the arrangement Rufus gave him.

“Nonsense. These are just minor costs.” Rufus gave a shrug. “After all, the Kingdom’s founding day is the most anticipated event the citizens of Faerghus have been looking forward to. It is necessary we make it an occasion to remember.”

“I understand that you’re excited about the event, Uncle. But don’t forget that we will be having my coronation next month after that,” Dimitri reminded. “Consider the fact that winter this year will be a harsh one, and the people will have a hard time. Why not postpone my coronation until the weather is warmer? That way, we don’t have to worry about the weather or food shortages.”

“I understand your concern, Dimitri. But don’t forget your people need you more than any of us do. The council has been putting pressure on me to crown you king as soon as possible. Your guidance has been important in times like this.”

“Then it’s the thought that counts, isn’t it? It doesn’t have to be anything glamourous or some silly coronation parade. I mean, I am the true ruler after all.”

“No, Dimitri.” Rufus cut him off. “You will not be recognized as the king if you’re not publicly crowned. People will have to bear witness to you ascending the throne. That will give them reassurance for a better future.” He gave Dimitri a pat on the arm. “Don’t worry about it, Dimitri. Everyone is here to give you support. We will help you through this matter.”

“I appreciate that thought, Uncle. But I…”

Rufus cut him off before he could continue. “That’s all I have to report. Don’t forget that we will be meeting with the council later this afternoon, so I hope you prepare.” He left the room as soon as he finished his sentence, not allowing Dimitri to voice his opinion.

“Do I really have to agree to all of these arrangements?” Dimitri let out a sigh as he picked up the papers scattered across the floor. “Why can’t I make my own decision? Is that what duty is about?”

* * *

Even after years being trained to handle his work as king. Dimitri could barely settle for the meeting council. Throughout the meeting, the nobles continued to raise the topic of food shortages and the bandit problem as if they weren’t bored of it yet. If he had a choice, he would go out and resolve the problem himself rather than argue with all these petty nobles who thought talking could do the job. There were also discussions about the activities to be held during the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus Founding Day. Though he did little to persuade, he did ask the nobles not to waste too much of the national gold invested on celebrations like these, telling them to use it to help the poor instead. But then again, they were the ones making decisions, not him. He hardly contributed to these things.

After the meeting with the council had ended, Rufus informed him that he would be dining with the nobles, but he quickly interrupted the notion. He was not in a mood to dine with those pesky nobles who were intending on shoving their daughters at him as potential brides or future queens. He had learned that far too well from Sylvain, who said that nobles who tried to curry his favour only wanted him as their trophy prize. In order to avoid that, he came up with an excuse that he was not feeling well and he wished to dine in private so that he could get rest early for the day. That took a bit of convincing, but once the nobles left for the dining hall they were to gather at, he ran the opposite way back to his quarters.

“Yo, Your Highness!” Sylvain winked at him once he reached the right wing of the castle where his quarters were at. “Have those pesky nobles finally let you go? They can’t seem to give you a break after all.”

“Enough teasing, Sylvain,” Ingrid chided him. “His Highness has been busy working the whole day. We should give him a break.”

“I’m sorry to keep you all waiting,” Dimitri said. “Did you wait for me for long?”

“Nope, you’re right on time.” Sylvain said. “If you were to run late, Ingrid would have stormed into the meeting room and threatened the nobles with her lance.” His sentence earned him a smack from Ingrid.

“This isn’t a good year for Faerghus.” Ingrid scowled at Sylvain. “It would be better if the national treasury was spent on helping the public rather than being used for unnecessary frivolities.”

“How can you say such things, Ingrid?” Sylvain retorted back. “The Kingdom’s Founding Day is the most important event celebrated in Faerghus. I’m sure that the royal treasury can handle one or two important events like these. After all, everyone is so tired from working, it would be a good time for us to lay down and relax for once.”

“Yes, but we don’t have to spend that much money to relax,” Ingrid argued back. “What will the people think of us when they see us spending all their money for the celebration while they are left aside and suffering?”

“Enough you two.” Dimitri stopped their bickering before it could go further. “I have discussed this with the council today. And I informed them to cut down unnecessary costs. We will ensure that the festivities are carried on in modesty.”

“I just wish that our fathers were here to help you.” Sylvain said. “But my father is away at Gautier pulling defence against Sreng, and Count Galatea is at negotiations with the Alliance. Even then, they won't allow us to join the meeting because we’re not part of the council. I wish we could be there for our voices to be heard.”

“I appreciate the thought.” Dimitri smiled at Sylvain’s comment. “Let us work hard together for the sake of the kingdom, especially in such times of struggle. I am relying on all of you to help me run the country.” He led the way to one of his personal dining quarters, where he usually had his private meals with important guests. For tonight, he would be sharing a meal together with his friends, a way to catch up in the midst of a busy work schedule.

“Of course we will support you, Dimitri. You are our friend and our leader, too.” Ingrid said. “There has been quite a lot of trouble within the kingdom. Some of the nobles may think this a chance to curry favour from you to gain power, so please be careful with them.”

“As much as I’m concerned, let’s put aside these worried thoughts for now.” Sylvain gave her a pat on the shoulder. “We’re having a hearty meal tonight, it’s not good for you to keep those bad thoughts, ya know?” He pulled out a chair and invited her to sit. “Put those thoughts away, let us enjoy the night, just tonight.”

“Perhaps a nice meal is the best way to relax.” Ingrid smiled at the thought. “But don’t forget we’re doing this for His Highness. After all, we’ve asked the chef to prepare the finest Verona Stew we could get. I am sure you’ll have all your tension released for tonight.”

“If that’s the case, I will have to enjoy my meal then.” Dimitri said as he summoned the servants to have food served on the table. The three of them spent the night exchanging stories as they enjoyed their meal. For once, the night felt very tranquil..

* * *

The next morning was unusually sunny. Sunlight filtered through the tree branches and basked on the white snowy ground. Dimitri figured out that he had some free time to spare in the morning so he thought it would be a good time to go out riding. He expected his horse must have been bored to the bone with him being so busy with work lately. He reminded himself that he had to spend more time with his horse whenever he had the time.

Sylvain was already at the stables tending to the horses when he arrived. He flashed him a wink once he saw Dimitri marching towards the stables. “Hey, Your Highness, are you here to tend your horse?”

“It has been a long time since I last went out riding,” he said. “I figured that I should spend some time with my horse since I am free for the morning.”

“I’m glad that you finally came out from your office.” He smiled as one of his hands went to ruffle the horse’s mane. “Ingrid and I were worried that you’re going to spend your entire life holed up with your work.”

“As much as I dislike my work, if I were to neglect it, who would do it instead?” Dimitri let out a sigh. He reached out to pat Duchess, his favourite black Daphnel mare. “The only time I ever feel like myself is when I am away from kingly duties and pesky nobles.”

“You should try to relax more often,” Sylvain said. “You know that you can always rely on us if you want to let loose your emotions. It won’t do you any good if you keep things bottled up.”

Dimitri hummed a little as he saddled Duchess, leading her out of the stable. “Since you’re free right now, mind going riding with me for a while?” He asked. “Perhaps we can head off to that place we always visited together when we were young.”

“I’ll take you up on that idea.” Sylvain grinned. “Race you there. You better not keep me waiting too long.”

The two of them spent the morning riding down the streets of Fhirdiad, heading northeast towards the Itha Plains. Dimitri had always had fond memories of the countryside. It was the place where he could be wild and carefree, away from strict court rules. This was the place where his father would have family outings together with his friends. They would spend the entire day running through the field or climbing trees. Those were such carefree days, but they no longer existed. Dimitri did not blame the lost, but still, it left a lingering void in Dimitri’s life, much like when he lost his family in Duscur. He knew that it was impossible to bring back what was lost but what would he do to fill the void that was now left by those who were gone?

* * *

Morning passed in a blink and the two of them decided that they should return back to Fhirdiad before lunch time. They kicked their horses into a gallop as they ran past the field to race back to the capital. As soon as the two of them returned back into the castle walls, Dedue rushed to meet him at the stables to deliver an important message.

“Count Charon just sent a messenger not too long ago,” he informed the prince. “He requested your audience as soon as possible.”

“Dedue, what happened?” Dimitri asked, noting the man looked out of breath.

“I’m not sure but he seemed anxious and the matter at hand sounds urgent to him.” Dedue replied. “He said that Count Charon wished you to send help immediately if possible.” Now that sounded worrisome, had something happened at Charon County?

“Please tell him I will see him now,” Dimitri told Dedue. He asked Sylvain to help him handle Duchess before he went to get himself prepared. Once he returned to his office, the messenger was already in there waiting for him, with Ingrid accompanying him.

“Your Highness, my lord has an urgent message that requires your attention immediately!” The messenger said as soon as he entered the room.

“What is going on? Has something happened?”

“We’re not even sure.” The messenger replied. “There were reports that there’s some sort of a disease outbreak in a village north of Charon.”

“A disease, you say?” Dimitri piped up. “Are the villagers doing fine?”

“For now the disease is still under control, but my lord worries that if we do not find a cure soon, it may spread to the nearby village,” the messenger said. “The symptoms the villagers displayed varied, so we can’t even determine the exact source of the disease.”

“He just informed me about the situation that happened in Herveil Village,” Ingrid added in. “The villagers are reported to experience restlessness and fits of violence. It seems rather abnormal for a disease if you squint. I have a bad feeling something is going to happen.”

“This is a matter we must investigate immediately,” Dimitri stated. “If the plague grows out of control within the village, it may lead to an epidemic in the nearby village.” Dimitri mused. “I will head there to investigate the matter myself.”

“Your Highness, are you saying that you will be marching towards Charon Territory yourself?” Ingrid questioned. “The situation there looks grim, though. I highly advise that you stay away from the chaos.”

“No, I cannot just sit idly and let my people suffer,” Dimitri said firmly. “Faerghus has been through a hard time this year. I must see to it that my people survive through this year. Please gather some of the knights to set off to Charon Territory. We will set off this afternoon.”

* * *

“An epidemic, you say?” Cornelia quirked a brow in confusion when Dimitri reported the matter to her. “I do have some knowledge about healing and curing disease, but I have never heard of such a disease before.”

“It may seem like it is just a small case of disease outbreak, but I fear that if we don’t take action fast, more people may suffer,” Dimitri confided. “The last time when a plague swept Faerghus, it claimed thousands of lives. I cannot allow such tragedy to fall on Faerghus again.”

“I hate to say this, Your Highness. But saving the people should be our priority first.” Cornelia advised him. “Perhaps there is a possibility that the infected people can be saved, but since we have no information about the disease, there is little we can do about curing them. We must first isolate the uninfected villagers from the area to prevent the disease from spreading.”

“I am afraid that is the only possible option we have right now.” Dimitri nodded in agreement. “Will you be coming with me? I could use your help to treat the wounded and assess the situation.”

Cornelia managed a small smile as she looked through the letters she had at hand. “As much as I wish to help you, Your Highness, Grand Duke Rufus requested that I deal with some treatise regarding the food crop issue in the eastern Kingdom. Perhaps I will send one of my apprentices to help you with the matter.”

“Any help is good enough. I will make sure to give you a report about the situation and leave it to you after that.” Dimitri agreed as he turned to leave. “I will be at Charon Territory for this week. Please help my uncle with state matters in my absence.”

* * *

After having a quick lunch, Dedue reported to him that the soldiers were prepared and were gathered at the courtyard waiting for his command. Dimitri thanked him and told him to standby with the soldiers while he went to report to his uncle.

“Uncle, this may sound abrupt, but I will be heading to Charon Territory probably for a week.” Dimitri sent a quick report to the grand duke. “I ask that you help me manage state affairs with Cornelia during my absence.”

“Oh, you’re heading off so soon?” Rufus quirked a brow as he placed the letters on his table. “As much as I hate to work in your stead, please make sure that you come back safely. The Kingdom needs its Crown Prince after all.”

“I have no choice, Uncle. This is an urgent matter, I need to see to it immediately.” Dimitri said. “If I remember correctly, Count Galatea will be returning this weekend. If he managed to secure food supplies from the Alliance, please make arrangements to distribute the food to the western part of the Kingdom. We don’t want the people to suffer during winter time.”

“Yea, yea, it’s not like I cannot disobey the Crown Prince’s order.” Rufus just shrugged his words off as he scanned another letter. “Perhaps I should break the news to you first as well.”

“What is it, Uncle?”

“Considering that your coronation is going to be held in two months’ time, the council has been looking into a list of potential brides for you.” Dimitri sighed at the statement. This was the very thing he was not looking forward to. “While it is not necessary for you to get married on your coronation, a consort is necessary to guide you and pass down the Blaiddyd bloodline.”

“Uncle, I understand that Faerghus needs a king and queen, but we should only discuss that once things settle down for a bit. It’s not like the Kingdom will collapse when the queen is absent.”

“You may take your time, but please consider at least meeting the ladies. You may want to know them more and get used to each other before you are to marry them.”

“Yes, yes, I will try to look into it once I return…” This time it was Dimitri’s turn to shrug it off, feeling the urge to leave the office as soon as possible. “I should get going though. The knights are ready to leave.”

“All preparations are done, Your Highness.” Sylvain reported once Dimitri made it to the courtyard. “We are just waiting for you to give the command to march to Charon.”

“Sorry to keep you all waiting.” Dimitri said, adjusting his travel cloak a bit. “My uncle has been pestering me about my coronation and marriage issues, though it is not a big deal.”

“It was annoying right?” Ingrid asked in concern. “Being king is a heavy burden, and now they’re forcing you into an arranged marriage of sorts. Perhaps you can tell them to hold off the marriage until you’re ready.”

“That can wait.” He told them, accepting his horse’s reins from Dedue. “After all, I am the one who will be making the decision, they can’t force me into doing it. I will just try to sort things out once everything calms down a bit.” He mounted Duchess, the horse making a snort as he made himself comfortable on the saddle. He gave his command and the soldiers marched into the streets at his orders, heading south towards Charon.

* * *

The County of Charon lay at the southernmost part of the kingdom. The army rode past Tailtean Plain into Galatea Territory, stopping by Rylka River during dusk for the horses to rest and replenish some supplies. There was no time for the group to rest during the night, as Dimitri feared that the situation could be worsened if they were a minute late, so the group continued their march late into the night. By the time they arrived in Charon Territory, the dawn of the new day was just breaking. Dimitri had sent the messenger earlier on the morning of their departure so that he could inform Count Charon about their arrival. Count Charon seemed pleased to see the kingdom’s troops arrive but at the same time he looked restless.

“Your Highness, thank goodness you’ve arrived!” Count Charon exclaimed as soon as he saw Dimitri. “I fear that the situation in Herveil Village has gotten worse overnight.”

“Lord Rutger, has something happened in the village?” Dimitri asked.

“The villagers that were infected have gone berserk and they are attacking the village itself!” Count Charon reported. “My men tried to hold them back but they were behaving like ferocious beasts.”

“They… What?!” Sylvain’s eyes widened in shock; even Ingrid was at a loss of words. “They actually attacked their own village?!”

“Your Highness, we must head there at once!” Dedue urged him. “We need to save the villagers immediately.”

When Herveil Village was finally in sight, the first thing they saw was black smoke rising into the dawn sky. Upon closer inspection, they could see some damaged buildings and houses. The scene was total chaos. They could see the infected villagers running amok like walking corpses, destroying anything in their paths. The survivors were trying to run away from the infected villagers, some trapped in debris or the fire, children crying and screaming for their families.

“What is going on here?” Sylvain gaped at the scene before them, trying to digest what he was seeing. “It’s like those people who got infected became like walking corpses or something…”

“We thought that it was just a normal disease, but I never expected it would come to this.” Ingrid grimaced at the sight of the villagers attacking each other. “Does that mean we have to attack the villagers to stop them?”

Dimitri watched on, but he gave no response. Dedue noted that he was shaking, his hands tightened into fists.

“Your Highness, are you alright? You’re shaking.” Dedue asked in concern.

“I-I am fine… Don’t worry about me.” Dimitri managed to say after a moment of silence. “W-We need to save the villagers immediately.”

Count Charon surveyed the situation, asking for a report from one of his soldiers. “The situation is not good.” He sighed. “I am afraid we have to fight against the rampaging villagers and save the survivors. It is our only chance to minimize casualties here.”

“I’m afraid that is the case…” Sylvain muttered. “If we strike carefully, we should be able to knock some sense into them and save them.”

Ingrid scanned the surroundings before she noticed something. “There are some suspicious people over there.”

“Saving the surviving villagers is our top priority,” Dimitri said, trying to keep his composure. “If they are the ones who caused such atrocities, don’t let them get away unpunished. I will make sure to kill them myself.”

* * *

The group split up to take down the rampaging villagers while saving those who needed help. Dimitri and Dedue moved in a pair to one side of the village. Dimitri swung his lance to take down a rampaging villager. Dedue then moved in so he could help remove the debris that trapped villagers. Dimitri scanned around the flames to see if he could find any survivors. From afar he could pick up the wailing sounds of children somewhere deeper in the village, and he sprinted towards where the sound was coming from, forgetting to tell Dedue where he was going.

He ran deeper into the village, finding a house that was on fire. He rushed into the house to find a child calling out for his mother who was crushed under the debris. Dimitri grimaced at the sight before him. These people were monsters to kill innocent people!

Trying to keep his composure, Dimitri quickly approached the child. “Child, I know you need your mother but we need to get out of this place as soon as possible.” He said as he gently hoisted up the child. “To get out of here, I need you to be brave. Can you stand up and run away from here?”

“B-But I want my mommy!” The child cried. “She is down there and she can’t stand up.”

“I know, child. But to help Mommy, you must be strong. You must stand up so I can help your Mommy instead.” Dimitri consoled the child, somehow managing to silence him. “Now I want you to run and get out of here. Go somewhere safe so that you can get help to save mommy.” The kid gave a teary nod before he headed off outside. But before he could step outside, two infected villagers blocked the exit way.

“Damn it, they blocked the exit!” Dimitri cursed, quickly stepping in between the kid and the infected villagers in an attempt to protect him. He could easily fend them off, but being in a narrow space made swinging his lance hard. Moreover, he had to protect this child, any wrong move could cost his life.

The infected villagers advanced towards him. Just then, his eye caught sight of a silver metallic blade delivering a slash from behind, knocking out the villagers instantly. “Foolish!” The owner of the blade said as they fell.

“Felix, why are you here?” Dimitri asked in shock.

“Stop talking, get the kid out of here now.” Felix retorted back. “If you want to survive, then let’s get rid of them first!”

“Right.” Dimitri agreed and quickly carried the kid out of the blazing house and passed him to a nearby soldier so that he could receive aid quickly. Felix scanned his surroundings, keeping an eye out for any infected villagers. Some villagers were still running away from the fire, so Dimitri made it his priority to guide them to safety.

“Over there.” Felix pointed in front of them. “Does it seem like the infected villagers are coming from that old chapel?”

Dimitri turned around, noting that the area around the chapel was densely populated with the infected villagers. “Could it be that something was conducted in the chapel?” Dimitri questioned and the two of them dashed for it. Upon closer view, Dimitri could make out the silhouette of a man standing in front of the chapel.

“That person… Isn’t that Lord Marseille?” From what Dimitri knew, Lord Marseille was a minor lord working under Count Charon, usually assigned with managing some state affairs. Herveil Village was one of the villages under his charge. “Is he in trouble? Why is he standing there?”

Lord Marseille did not seem to be bothered by their presence, his lip continuing to murmur incoherently. “Lord Marseille, the village is in trouble. We have to get you out of here.”

There was no response from Lord Marseille, his body hunched down. Dimitri ran up to his side and tried to get him to talk, but then he noticed that the man was actually laughing under his breath. “Kill them all, let the fire consume everything…”

“Boar, look out!” Felix called out and Dimitri backed down just in time as Lord Marseille hurled a ball of fire towards his direction.

“Gah, what was that for, Lord Marseille?” Dimitri exclaimed in shock.

“I am not Lord Marseille…” The man muttered in a deep breath. With a wave of his arm, the man before him suddenly transformed into an old man with an eerie facial appearance. “I am Solon, the saviour of all!”

“Wh-What’s the meaning of this?!” Dimitri questioned back in shock. “Are you the one behind all of this?”

“All I did was give the villagers some blood. But now that my job here is done, I shall take my leave.”

“Insolence! Come back here!” Dimitri threw his lance towards the man but the man warped away before his weapon could hit. “Damn it, he ran away!”

“Stop yammering already!” Felix cut in. “We have no time to care about that guy. Saving the villagers is our priority.” Dimitri paused, but he soon realized that all that shouting could do nothing to get the man back, so he returned to focusing on the task at hand.

* * *

Eventually, the villagers were saved and Count Charon called for the soldiers to put out the flames. Despite all the efforts made, there were quite a number of casualties. The infected villagers had gone berserk and with no other way to save them, they had to be put down. The houses and plains were all destroyed by the fire — the village was all but a dead place now.

Dimitri and Felix stood at the valley on the far side of the village, watching the remains of Herveil Village. “That man… Lord Marseille, no… Solon, he did this to the people!” Dimitri gritted his teeth in frustration. “Numerous innocent people were killed because of his experimentation. I won’t let him escape, the next time I see him, I will kill him. I swear it on those who died today.”

“I know you’re mad for what they have done, but please try to reign in your anger.” Felix said, lightly slapping his face. “You won’t accomplish anything if the only thing you’re thinking of is revenge.”

“And what do you know of it?” Dimitri snapped back. “Don’t you see how those people suffered? They were crying, screaming and pleading for help that did not come. Those people who got infected, they didn’t want any of this. Do you think that they really wanted to kill their own kin?!”

“I understand what you’re trying to say,” Felix retorted back. “But what is done is done. We did our best to salvage the village, that is what we should at least take comfort in. Unless we fully understand the situation at hand, our efforts cannot be not enough to save everything, so stop blaming yourself. No one is asking you to give yourself more burdens.”

Dimitri went silent for a moment, burying his head in his hands. “I… I know that revenge is not always the best thing. But yet, every time when I come across such a scenario, I can’t help but feel the need to avenge the fallen.” He finally said. “It keeps reminding me of my loved ones, killed before my very eyes. They died in agony, as if they were pleading me to release them from the pain.”

“And do you believe that they will be relieved from the pain when you avenge them?” Felix questioned. “Sometimes you have to think for yourself as well, whether you have what it takes to achieve your goal.”

“More reasons why I must strengthen myself.” Dimitri made a stand. “They died because I was not strong enough to protect them. I have to work hard for the sake of those who died.”

“Don’t overdo it!” Felix chided him. “If the only thoughts you have are about the dead, you’ll give yourself nothing but agony.” He rubbed his temple, trying to keep his temper down. “You must remember that you’re the prince of the Kingdom. Your duty is to lead the people, not use them as tools on your quest of vengeance. Don’t let your thirst for revenge blind you.”

“I understand your concern. I will stay by my word, but I will not let the culprit do as they please. Someday I will apprehend them and bring justice for those who died here.” Dimitri swore. “I won’t let them die a meaningless death.”

Felix scowled a little, but he felt too lazy to knock some sense into the prince’s mind, so he just decided to keep quiet. Amber-coloured eyes blinked for a second before he turned around hastily. “Who’s there? Show yourself!” He called out.

“How annoying…” An unknown voice said. A mysterious man draped in black and red armour stepped out into their view. “Why do you have to fuss over these meaningless lives?” The man had a striking mask and helmet that masked his appearance.

“Meaningless? Are you saying that those people who died served no purpose at all?!” Dimitri snapped at him. “To make such a remark, you have no heart at all!”

“Care to tell us about you?” Felix questioned. “Are you the one who caused this calamity?”

“You don’t have the right to look into the darkness.” He replied. “But if you wish to know so badly, I might as well indulge you with the matter. I am the Flame Emperor and I shall carve a new world out of this world.”

“A new world? What are you talking about? Are you saying that this experimentation of yours, is to create a new world?” Dimitri bellowed.

“This world is too corrupted as a result of the existence of those beasts. I shall create a new world where humans are no longer slaves to those beasts,” the Flame Emperor divulged. “All the tragedies you’ve seen today, here in Herveil and Duscur, are just the beginning of our cleansing ritual. No one can stop me from taking Fodlan in my grasp to create the perfect new world.”

“D-Duscur?! Y-You don’t mean… Were you the one behind this?!” Upon hearing those words from the Flame Emperor, Dimitri finally lost his composure. He attempted to lunge forward to try and squeeze more answers from the man, but Felix quickly pulled him back, using every ounce of strength he had. “Wait! Don’t go!” The Flame Emperor vanished before he could ask more questions.

“Why did you hold me back?” Dimitri demanded from Felix. “I could have caught him. He mentioned about the Tragedy of Duscur, so he must be the one responsible for it!”

“Calm down, boar!” Felix delivered a smack on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. “Even if you managed to catch him, he wouldn’t tell you anything. Besides, you are no match for him in such a state.” He ran a hand through his hair and gave out a sigh. “You’re pathetic, aren’t you? All your talk about revenge and wanting to appease the dead, you’re just digging your own grave if you act that way.”

Dimitri went silent for a moment, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. “You keep calling me a boar. You are the first person who has ever spoken to me in such a harsh and sarcastic way.” He tried to stifle laughter. “I don’t know why, but I like it. It makes me feel like I am myself.”

“That’s because you remind me of someone, you dimwit!” Felix yelled back. “I remember that person slaughtering a group of soldiers as if they were a bunch of training dummies. His bloodthirst was so terrifying that he could be called a monster.”

“What happened to that person?”

“I… I don’t know…” Felix answered, stuttering with his words. “I haven’t met or heard of him since the last time I saw him. But are you willing to give up your own humanity just for the sake of revenge?”

“I understand what you’re trying to say.” Dimitri admitted. “I should have better control of myself. That’s why, I would like to ask you to fight by my side. You seem to be the only one who can reign in my bloodlust.”

Felix rolled his eyes and huffed. “I have no interest in staying by your side.” He said. “There are other things I need to attend to rather than to babysit Your Highness.”

“But your skill with the blade is unrivalled in the kingdom.” Dimitri insisted. “Our kingdom is in turmoil now, and perhaps you can put your skills into helping us. It would benefit our kingdom greatly.”

“I am not going to repeat myself. No, I don’t belong here, so please take back your offer.” Felix remained stubborn with his choice. “I have stayed far too long here. I have to go.”

“What? You… You’re leaving already?” He blinked, uncomprehending. As Felix turned around, Dimitri could catch a glimpse of sadness in those piercing gaze he remembered so well. “No, don’t go! Please stay with me!” He pleaded, grabbing hold of the swordsman’s hand in an attempt to hold him in place.

“I’m sorry, my prince.” Felix forced a smile at him, trying to keep his expression as neutral as possible while keeping his tears at bay. “I cannot…” Before he could even finish his sentence, the swordsman’s frame began to fade away until he vanished into the thin air, leaving no traces of him.

* * *

“Your Highness, there you are!” Dedue exclaimed when he finally gathered himself enough to leave the village and meet up with the rest of the army. “We were worried when you didn’t return. We thought something had happened to you.”

“Don’t be such a pessimist, Dedue,” Sylvain chided. “His Highness is strong. He is capable of protecting himself even at the most dangerous times.”

Count Charon surveyed the damage of the disaster, noting the burned down buildings and destroyed facilities. “We have managed to save most of the villagers and kept losses to a minimum. But still, the damage done in Herveil Village is beyond repair. There’s no way we can ever recover the village.”

“Relocating the villagers is our top priority. They will need food and shelter for the winter.” Ingrid said. “Just when we’re facing food shortage, this happens. When was the last day Faerghus had a peaceful day?”

“We have many matters to discuss,” Count Charon said. “Let’s return back to Charon Castle and we will try to sort things out and discuss our next course of action.”

The group returned back to Charon Castle and were given food and beds to stay for the night. But it didn’t take them long to come up with a solution to help the villagers. Count Charon had decided that they would be sent to live in a village not too far from Herveil Village as a temporary refuge. Arrangements had been made to build them houses and temporary food supplies were secured to be provided to them. Once the villagers’ needs had been taken care of, Dimitri decided to bring up his discovery at the village.

“Lord Rutger, there’s something I wish to discuss with you,” he said. “It’s about Lord Marseille. He was supposed to be in charge of the Herveil Village affair, but he wasn’t even seen during the calamity. Do you know anything about him?”

“I was worried about him as well,” Count Charon said. “My men searched his house just now at Herveil Village but they found no occupants in it. But even before this happened, he had been acting strange lately,” he added. “He rarely shows up during council meetings, and he also rarely reported anything to me in the recent month.”

“Did he inform you about the strange phenomenon in Herveil Village before this happened?” Dimitri pressed on.

Count Charon shook his head. “No, it was one of my soldiers that brought me the report. He tried to pay Lord Marseille a visit but he was not at home at the time.”

“This can’t be just mere coincidence, right?” Sylvain questioned. “To think that he was acting distant and stopped communication with us is really suspicious.”

“As much as I am afraid to break this information to all of you,” All attention turned to Dimitri. “I am afraid that Lord Marseille may not be with us anymore.”

“What does that mean, Your Highness?” Ingrid raised a brow in shock.

“Just now at Herveil Village, I saw him watching the chaos unfold and confronted him. He began muttering something about destroying the village and burning everything down,” Dimitri told them. “Just then, his appearance changed completely. He called himself Solon and claimed himself to be a saviour.”

“Are you saying that Lord Marseille is no longer alive?” Sylvain gaped in shock at the revelation. “And all this time this Solon person has been impersonating him?”

“That probably explains why Lord Marseille has been acting strange recently. But to think that the enemy could disguise themselves as him so well, it seems a bit unsettling,” Count Charon pondered. “But I am more concerned that there could be many other nobles who are plotting against the royal family and using their guise to sneak up on us.”

“It seems like we have to strengthen security within the Kingdom.” Ingrid suggested. “Who knows what kind of tricks they are up to? We have to do everything we can to stop them.”

“Ingrid is right.” Sylvain nodded in agreement. “I will inform my father of this matter once we return. Fhirdiad could be the most at risk with all these rumours and turmoil. We can’t let them prevail.”

All the while when the group continued with their discussion about strengthening security in the kingdom. Dimitri let his thoughts drift elsewhere. He considered bringing up the Flame Emperor and the disturbing things he had seen today but he decided not to tell them. He decided that he would investigate the matter himself, especially the Flame Emperor’s motive behind these atrocities. After all, this person was the very person responsible for the Tragedy of Duscur and all these sufferings, so he would exact revenge on this person himself.  _ I will be the one to behead him _ , he silently muttered to himself. His fist tightened and almost tore open his gloves.

But then, another voice appeared in his head, stopping his train of thought.  _ You’re pathetic, aren’t you? All your talk about revenge and wanting to appease the dead, you’re just digging your own grave if you act that way.  _ Who said that to him? He could not recall, but it felt so familiar, enough to ward off his anger. Despite the sarcastic tone it carried, it reminded him of something far away, something he had lost ages ago…


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Blue Lion students reunite to celebrate the Founding of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. Dimitri got a surprise visit from a mysterious guest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be some sexual content being hinted near the end of the chapter. It was not explicit, but fair warning is given if you wish to avoid it. You may skip from the paragraph, "Whatever questions he'd be meaning to ask..." until the last third paragraph if you do not wish to read that part.

Despite the tension that threatened over the kingdom, the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus Founding Day remained a day to be celebrated throughout the kingdom. Citizens of Faerghus, nobles, and commoners alike flocked to the streets in Fhirdiad to commemorate the legendary King of Lions, Loog.

Dimitri paced up and down his room, occasionally fidgeting with his clothes. Even after years of attending such ceremonies, he was still not used to it. He hated being in the public’s eyes during speeches and social events with nobles. It wasn’t to say that he disliked his people or socializing, but he found them rather tiring and it got on his nerves. He’d rather spent time training or riding in the countryside, but then again it was his duty to be here with his people.

There was a knock on the door, Dimitril gave the visitor his permission to enter. Dedue stepped into the room and greeted him.“Your Highness, all preparations are done. We are waiting for you.” The Duscur man noticed the prince's uncomfortable expression and began piling questions out of concern. “Are you alright, Your Highness? Did you not get enough sleep? Or is breakfast not suited to you?”

“I-I’m fine, Dedue.” Dimitri replied. “I just felt nervous having to face the crowd.”

“If you’re ready, then I will escort you to the reception hall. The nobles are awaiting your arrival.” Dimitri briefly thanked him before they stepped out of the room. Sylvain and Ingrid were outside his quarters waiting for him.

“Hey Your Highness, I hope you’re feeling good today.” Sylvain winked at him. “I’m planning on spending the entire day chatting and dancing with all the ladies.” Ingrid lightly smacked him on a shoulder in response to his announcement.

“If only there was a way to keep that mouth of yours shut. It could spare some ladies from being heartbroken.” Ingrid said. “I know that the kingdom’s founding day is an important day, but is celebration necessary given the current circumstances? ”

“Speak for yourself, Ingrid. The nobles only want it for a show of themselves.” Sylvain said. “I bet you’re going to shovel all the food into your mouth, aren’t you ?”

“I… ugh… As much as I like food, I won’t resort to losing my composure.” Ingrid argued back, trying to fight the blush that is colouring her face.

“Quite a lively morning, I’d say.” Dimitri couldn’t help but stifle a laugh.

“We’re worried about you, Your Highness.” Sylvain said. “Ever since that incident in Charon Territory, you appeared to be so restless. I thought that perhaps this would be a good time to help you loosen up.”

“I don’t like the sound of this, Sylvain…”

“But you need it in a time like this.” Sylvain pressed on. “After all, your coronation is next month and the nobles wouldn’t rest until you find a queen. You should use this opportunity to find yourself a bride.”

Dimitri’s shoulder slumped slightly as he let out a sigh. He walked past them and down the corridors. Dedue, Sylvain and Ingrid followed behind him. “I am not sure the prospect of finding a bride would cheer me up.” He pouted. “If I had a choice, I’d rather marry for love instead of some political reason.”

“That’s why I need to teach you the skills of flirting with women!” Sylvain chimed in. “You won’t find love if you don’t take initiative in getting their attention .”

“Sylvain, finding love is not about flirting.” Ingrid chided. “Love is about mutual respect, understanding each other, and the responsibility both sides are willing to share throughout life.”

“That’s just your opinion as someone uptight. From what I’ve seen, the best way for us men to bond with women is to spend time sweet talking them.” Sylvain winked. “That’s the only way to get information on whether they truly love us or not.”

“Very well.” Dimitri sighed again, somehow surrendering to all those thoughts. “Perhaps you should help me find my potential bride since you know this game so well.” He continued to walk down the long corridor towards the reception hall downstairs, his footsteps heavy, already dreading the day.

The three of them quickened up their footsteps to match his pace. “Look, I am sorry for talking about all this nonsense, but look on the bright side.” Sylvain said, trying to cheer him up. “Mercedes and Annette are coming too. As it is a day for us Blue Lions to be reunited again, there’s at least something for you to look forward to.”

“Now that you mention it, it has been a year since I had last seen Mercedes and Annette. I wonder how they are doing.” Ingrid perked up at the topic. “It would be great if the five of us could spend time walking around the capital to catch up for lost time.”

A small smile graced Dimitri’s lips at the thought of meeting their friends. “Now that’s at least something I am looking forward to.” He mused. “Along with the five of us, Dedue should join too. Since you are my close attendant, I am sure you will get along well with them.”

“I should stick by your side.” Dedue said. “Looking out for your safety is my duty after all.”

* * *

“There you are.” Grand Duke Rufus relaxed slightly once Dimitri finally came to the reception hall. “What took you so long? Everyone was getting impatient waiting for you.”

“I apologize for the long wait.” Dimitri said, keeping his voice level in order to conceal his nervousness. “The ceremony is about to start. We should get everyone gathered at the balcony to greet the people.”

Dimitri took the lead and made his way towards the balcony, the nobles followed soon. He got a bit overwhelmed at the sight of the crowds gathering outside the castle to greet him. Millions of eyes were now on him, and people were waving and cheering at him. He didn’t know how long he carried out his speech, but everything passed in a blur that he could barely recall anything at all.

The next thing he remembered was Dedue serving him some tea to calm his nerves before Sylvain and Ingrid dragged him out of the castle to join the crowd. Mercedes and Annette were the first to greet him upon stepping out of the castle.

“Your Highness, it’s so good to see you again!” Annette cheered. “And you too, Sylvain, Ingrid.”

“Mercedes, Annette, I am so happy to see you all doing well.” Ingrid smiled back. Behind her, Sylvain flashed the two of them a wink. “It’s good to see you too! I can see that the two of you are just as lovely as ever. Why don’t we spend the day over a cup of tea and some dancing?”

“And I see that you haven’t changed at all, Sylvain.” Mercedes laughed. “Since you offered so kindly, I will gladly take you up on it. After all, we have a lot to catch up.”

“The Blue Lion students have finally reunited.” Annette cheered with glee. “I will make sure that everyone has fun today!”

The six of them mingled with the celebratory crowd in the streets of Fhirdiad, with Dimitri trying not to catch too much attention from the people. Despite the chilly weather of the Red Wolf Moon, it didn’t hamper the Faerghus citizens’ spirits. Annette, Sylvain and Mercedes joined the crowd in a dance on the streets. Dimitri caught Ingrid hoarding food from the food stalls.

The day itself not only celebrated the founding of Faerghus, but also commemorated the heroic deed of Loog and the knights’ who fought hard against the empire to free their people from suffering. Nobles from all over Faerghus organized events and tournaments that sang of the gallant knights across the kingdom. Ingrid partook in the Pegasus Performance organized by House Galatea, awing the crowds with graceful loops and turns on the sky. Sylvain, on the other hand, participated in the jousting tournament held by House Gautier and House Rowe. However, he was eliminated in the second round after focusing too much on showing off to the ladies, causing him to fall off his horse. And nearing evening was a ceremonial competition organized by House Charon, said to be a sparring tradition that the legendary King of Lions used to do.

“Today is such a great day.” Annette said, stretching her back. “We had so much fun, and it kind of reminded me of those days we spent at the monastery.”

“Sometimes it is good to slow down and enjoy life.” Mercedes said. “Can you recall the last time we were together like this?”

Dimitri hummed, watching Ingrid and Sylvain fight over some smoked meat on sales. “If I remember correctly, it was last year… It was on this very same day we were reunited here, celebrating the Kingdom Founding Day.” He thought, recalling the same day as last year. “The same celebration, same decoration, tradition and games…”

“Indeed.” Mercedes giggled. “The decorations are always beautiful, the traditions are always familiar, the games are always fun, but the experience is different every time, don’t you think? You can make different memories with different people.”

“You’re right…” Dimitri muttered. “I remembered how I got fascinated with the celebration when I was young. I used to explore the capital together with Sylvain and Ingrid when my father allowed us to. Those were such a long time…”

“Stop reminiscing about the past, Your Highness.” Sylvain laughed and came to his side. “Today is a day to celebrate and make new memories, you should enjoy it to the fullest.”

“I agree with Sylvain.” Ingrid said, holding a pack of food she bought. “We change with the flow of time. There’s no telling if things will still be the same in the future, so we should cherish our moments together.” She handed him the food pack, giving him a clear message: eat. “Sweet Bun Trio. It’s your favourite, isn’t it? I managed to buy the last one from your favourite stall.”

“I appreciate the thought.” Dimitri accepted the food from her. “I just can’t help but wonder… The fact that I was staying away from Fhirdiad two or three years ago, and yet despite the changes we had experienced, some things have remained the same.”

“Indeed. We were a bit disappointed when you didn’t join us in the celebration two years ago, but I am glad to see you are doing alright.” Annette said. “I know that you have duties as the crown prince of Faerghus, but don’t forget that we are always here for you. You can always rely on us.”

“Remember the first time we meet together on this day in Fhirdiad?” Sylvain piped up. “That was just months after we graduated from the monastery. That day, Dimitri and…”

“Sylvain, that’s enough!” Ingrid cut him off before he could finish his sentence. “Enough about the past, you’re just going to embarrass His Highness.”

“Your Highness, we will need to return back to the castle in an hour’s time.” Dedue reminded Dimitri. “Don’t you think you should enjoy one last moment of freedom before you return back to the confines of the castle? After all, we are all here for you today.”

Annette scanned the streets, the day had gotten dark and the celebration in the capital streets would soon come to an end. “Oh, I know of a place that sells delicious sweets not too far away from here. Why don’t we go there and get something to eat before we go back?”

“Annie, you ate those things earlier, didn’t you?” Mercedes giggled.

“Aww, but Mercie. They were such delicious treats.” Annette pouted. “And delicious food tastes better when you eat them with friends.”

“Count me in.” Sylvain said. “It’s been a long time since we dined together.”

“I will join too.” Ingrid agreed with the idea. “One meal together with friends is always one to be remembered.”

“Will you join us, Your Highness?” Dedue asked. All of them turned to look at him, expectant glimmers in their eyes.

“Of course I will join.” Dimitri answered quickly. “I should enjoy myself before I return back to my confine.”

* * *

Night time came early during the winter season. Dimitri and his friends retreated back into the castle when dusk fell. Rufus had organized a banquet and ball for the nobles to party into the night, much to Dimitri’s dismay. He worried that his uncle’s habit of spending was running the country into bankruptcy. But again, he knew better than to confront his uncle now, the man was not the type to listen to anyone’s words.

Dimitri dined with the nobles, trying to keep up with the nobles’ charade and attempts to curry favour with him. Some nobles even tried to introduce their daughters to him in hopes that he would pick one of them to be his bride. Rufus had insisted he meet with some of the noblewomen and try to get to know them better so that they would get along during their marriage.

“Ahh… I am sore already…” Dimitri let out a sigh as he retired from dancing. He walked out the ballroom and to the balcony to catch his breath. “So much for this dancing and all those talks with the ladies…” He whined as he stretched his arms and back. “I bet Sylvain must be enjoying his time with the ladies.”

“Your Highness, will you be retiring already?” Dedue came up to him and handed a glass of wine for him as a refreshment.

“I just need a breather.” Dimitri exhaled, taking a sip of his drink. “All this socializing is tiring me out.”

“I understand how you feel, but please don’t push yourself too hard.” Ingrid walked up next to him.

“Ingrid, has your father been asking you to find a spouse again?”

“Well, it’s no new thing anymore.” Ingrid frowned. “That young noble over there was pestering me non-stop in hopes of winning my favour. He is not a bad person, really. But I dislike those who talk too much; gossipers are not my type.”

“And there goes Sylvain again.” Dimitri muttered. Dedue and Ingrid turned into the direction of the ballroom. Sylvain was still in there waltzing with the women, as if he was floating on air. “Sometimes I don’t get what that guy is thinking.”

“Mercedes and Annette seem to be enjoying the event as well.” Ingrid commented. “Last time during the ball at the monastery, they spent the entire week planning on what to wear and all sorts of makeup and hairstyles just for the big day. Some things don’t change, I suppose.”

“It’s a wonder that while parts of us have changed, we’ve ultimately remained the same.” Dimitri smiled at the thought of their school days. “They were so excited when I invited them to the castle to join in on the festivity. Since then, this day has become a tradition for a reunion”

“Perhaps, but you were absent on our second and third reunion.” Ingrid said. “The kingdom felt dull without you in Fhirdiad. You are the centre of the Blue Lion House after all.”

Months after graduating from Garreg Mach Monastery, Dimitri invited his friends from the Blue Lion House to attend the Kingdom Founding Day festivity. They had so much fun back then. Even Dedue, who was not part of the monastery, got along with them; they welcomed him and enjoyed his company so much. However, good things did not last long. There were assassination attempts on the crown prince’s life. Rufus decided that Dimitri would stay at Arianrhod Castle away from the public’s eye until the situation had calmed down a bit.

“As much as I hate it, I have no say in such matters.” Dimitri sighed. “But I am glad to be back here, together with everyone. I really missed those days when we could be together.”

“Sometimes you just wish that things remain the same.” Ingrid said. “Those days were such happy days back then. But now, some things have changed…” She swallowed her voice at the last part, she went deep in thought. “Have you ever wondered what you would plan to do after you became the King of Faerghus?”

“I should focus on restoring peace within Faerghus.” Dimitri said. “I would carry on the work my father left for me. At least, that is the first thing I had in mind.”

“I see… That sounds reassuring…” She managed a small smile. “As you know, with the kingdom’s current situation, the future seems… uncertain. I can’t help but wonder how we will pull through such harsh times. And sometimes, I am also afraid of losing those dear to me…”

“I understand how you feel about the situation in Faerghus.” Dimitri frowned a bit. “There is a lot of work to be done once I am crowned king. My father’s passing has left a hole in the kingdom. It is my duty to protect those I cherish, therefore I must strongly hold onto my resolve if I want to win.”

Ingrid gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “We will always be by your side no matter what,” she said. “I know that running the kingdom is stressful, which is why we are here so that you can rely on us. The rest may try to make you into doing things you don’t like, but please remember that your life is yours alone and no one can take that away from you.”

* * *

Dimitri dragged his feet back to his quarter. The entire day of festivity had drained him completely. Dedue helped him to remove his outer garments and the heavy cloak before he dismissed him. Once he was alone, he began to remove his coat and the crisp white shirt, discarding all the fabric into a pile on the floor. He kicked off his boots before he threw his entire body onto the bed, ignoring the chill air in the room.

Just then, his ears caught a faint sound, like the rustle of fabric, causing him to spring up from his bed and reach out for the dagger he had kept hidden under his pillow in times of emergency. “Who’s there?” He demanded, trying to get his eyes adjusted to the darkness.

The rustle became louder and a figure took its shape in his room. In the faint moonlight, he could make out the silhouette of a man in his room. He caught sight of the familiar dark blue hair and the eyes that reminded him of the sunset.

“F-Felix?” The sword in his hand clattered onto the ground as he took in the sight of the man before him.

A small smile graced Felix’s lips as he stepped forward to stand in front of his prince. His hair reflected the moonlight and his eyes and skin seemed to glow under the light. Dimitri found himself at a loss of words, bewitched by the man’s appearance.

“You look so surprised.” Felix said. “I thought that you were going to pounce on me like a beast attacking his prey.”

“Who wouldn’t be shocked to find someone in their room uninvited?” Dimitri huffed, bending down to pick up his sword. “How’d you get in here? And what do you want?”

“I was waiting for you, that’s all.” Felix stated out the obvious. “It seems like you’ve got your hands full on the festivities.”

“It’s tiring…” He exhaled, his shoulders made a creaking sound when he rolled them. “As much as I hated it, I cannot escape my duty as a prince.”

“A prince’s duty is not to spend extravagantly.” Felix corrected him. “A prince's duty is to protect the people and their needs. The people will think that the royalty are wasting their hard-earned taxpayer money on trivial matters while they themselves are fighting to survive in the harsh winter.”

“But today was a day to commemorate my ancestor, the King of Lions. I can see that the people are excited to celebrate Loog’s contribution.” He casted his sight out of the window, catching sight of the great pine tree that had probably stood outside the castle for centuries. “They said that this pine tree witnessed King Loog’s ascension to the throne as the first king of Faerghus.”

“I know, I know. The people of Faerghus has always valued chivalry and knightly ideals.” Felix ruffled his bangs for a bit. “But you should know that Loog did not do this all by himself. If it wasn’t for his trusted friend, Kyphon, his victory wouldn’t have been successful either.”

“That’s true.” Dimitri agreed with the statement. “Kyphon has been the backbone of Loog throughout his life. It is admirable that one would dedicate his entire life just to see his king’s wish come true. I think it is because of their story that the people of Faerghus look up to knights, especially how they fight to protect the people.”

“Pff… Foolish ideals…” Felix rolled his eyes. “So do you wish to be like Loog? Being a ruler is no easy task, you know, especially in harsh times like this.”

“Even if I could be like Loog, but who would be Kyphon?” Dimitri hummed in amusement. “Dedue could only do much such as protecting me and relieving me from my pressure, but if only I could find someone to share my burdens on ruling, someone who would always be by my side to help me run the kingdom.”

Felix observed the prince’s movement, noting how his shoulder tensed from all his duties as crown prince. If he continued on like this, his hair was going to turn grey from overwork. “You look tired, Your Majesty,” he commented after a moment of silence. “I almost forgot the reason why I am here.”

“The reason you’re here?” Dimitri questioned back. Questions began to flood his mind, too much at a time that he didn't know where to start. How did Felix manage to come into his quarters in the first place? It was almost impossible to slip past the guards that were guarding the royal family’s chamber, but Felix seemed to appear out of nowhere.

“If you will, can you help me remove my armour and clothing? They are rather bulky…” Felix murmured, a hand reached out to touch the prince’s jaw.

Whatever questions he’d been meaning to ask slipped away from his mind. Seeing Felix standing before him, the pale moonlight glistening his hair and eyes, Dimitri found himself bewitched by the man’s appearance. Slowly, he reached out to unbuckle the swordsman’s pauldron, followed with his leather gloves and belt. Fingers trailed across his fur coat before they began to undo the clasp, revealing the lean but firm body beneath. He then worked on removing Felix’s boots, admiring the slender legs that were covered by leggings.

Felix stepped backward to allow Dimitri to help him. Once Dimitri finally stood up, he proceeded to wrap his arms around the prince’s bare chest. “You’re cold, my king…” Felix whispered, sliding his hands upwards to rest on the prince’s shoulder. Dimitri returned the favour, removing another layer of clothing until only his turtleneck shirt and leggings remained.

He let the shorter man push him onto the bed, all his doubts and uncertainties thrown out of the window. Felix planted a kiss on his lips, light and gentle like a butterfly. He continued his trail of kisses down the prince’s jaws, nuzzling his neck. Dimitri accepted the gesture, his hands found purchase on the swordsman’s waist, sneaking underneath the tight fabric to come into contact with his skin.

Felix pulled away slightly, his face flushed as their eyes met. He seemed to be glowing with his back facing the moonlight outside. Dimitri was entranced by the sight before him, he could feel his body heating up, burning with the flame of desire. Felix seemed to sense the prince’s impatience and his fingers gripped on the prince’s slack pleadingly.

“Take me, my king…”

It didn’t take long for the remaining clothes to be discarded into a pile at the foot of the bed. Felix allowed Dimitri to explore his body, relishing in the heat of the prince. Calloused hands traced the swordsman’s bare skin and dark hair strands, being mindful to keep control of his crest power so as not to hurt him. Felix looked so fragile in his current state, but Dimitri knew better than to question his condition; after all, he had witnessed the man on the battlefield, and the scars on his body were proof of his capability.

He could feel Felix tense up when his hands reached between his thighs. The smaller man pulled him close, fingers trembling slightly. Dimitri reached out one hand to cup his cheek, planting a kiss on his forehead to soothe him. “I promise I’ll be gentle…” He murmured, but Felix quickly cut him.

“No… Be as rough as you like. Be the strong, untamed boar you are, my king,” Felix pled. “I want to remember this moment with you.”

What followed next was a blur to Dimitri. Limbs and bodies got tangled beneath the sheets. Dimitri remembered how his body tinged with excitement when his skin met Felix’s. Felix was clinging to him, begging him for more every time he thrusted. His hair pooled across the pillow and swirled around him every time he moved. He obliged, seeking the hidden spot that would bring Felix the pleasure. Felix let out a cry when the prince thrusted in again, sending Dimitri off the edge into blissful oblivion.

“I am yours… my king…” Felix murmured as he planted a kiss on the prince’s lips. Dimitri held him in his embrace as he drifted into a dreamless slumber.

Dimitri groaned when the first ray of sunlight greeted his eyelids. He was grateful that he did not have any nightmare last night, courtesy of Felix he should say. He turned around to reach out for Felix but the sheets beside him had long gone cold.

It was all just a dream, right? But everything that happened last night was so vividly clear in his mind; the way he caressed Felix’s body to his voice was too real to be a dream. The scattered clothes on the floor seemed to tell him the truth. He never remembered it being there, but on his work table rested a mysterious bouquet of flowers consisting of red, yellow, and white camellia, still fresh in bloom despite the chill…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little hint about Camellia flower language (Hanakotoba):  
> Red Camellia - In love, perishing in grace  
> Yellow Camellia - Longing  
> White Camellia - Waiting  
> Can anyone guess the meaning of the bouquet?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of coronation preparation that leads up to an assassination attempt on the prince

“Hold still, Your Highness.” The seamstress cursed for what was like the tenth time in a row. “You’re going to ruin your clothes if you continue like this.”

“I just can’t help it,” Dimitri complained, trying but failing to maintain his posture.

“This is your coronation attire,” the seamstress grumbled. “I don’t want people thinking that I ruined the country’s biggest occasion.”

“It isn’t that bad, is it? It is just clothes after all.” Dimitri stretched out his arms to relieve himself from their stiffness. “It feels too tight for me.”

“This outfit is meant to bring out your body shape.” The seamstress said. “It makes you look more kingly.”

“Can’t it be loosened a bit?” Dimitri complained again. “This thing is too tight for my liking. I can barely move around.”

“Alright, alright, I will try to readjust your outfit to be more comfortable. And we should probably look at your cape and vest too.”

“Perhaps you should model my cape after my father’s,” Dimitri suggested. “And about the colour, make it white with some blue coloured pattern on it.”

The seamstress folded the half-finished outfit before she bowed to him. “I will see it done, Your Highness. I should be able to get it done next week, so I will stop by and help you fit on and see if any amendment is still needed.”

“I appreciate your efforts. I will look forward to your next visit.” He then called out for a servant to send off the seamstress. He left the room to return back to his work office. Apparently, Rufus was already there waiting for him.

“You’re back already, uncle? How did the council meeting today go?” Dimitri wasted no time to ask.

“Everything is going on well,” Rufus said. “Viscount Kleiman reported that there was a group of rebels at the north of the kingdom, but he had already got Count Rowe’s help to quell them. It wasn’t a big matter.”

“Another rebellion you say? Is it really just a small matter?” Dimitri asked. “Surely, you are aware of the incident in Herveil Village. We don’t want such matters to happen again.”

“Cornelia’s scout had reported to us about the activities of the rebels, nothing serious I assure you.” Rufus said. “More importantly, there’s still your coronation at the end of this month. Have you prepared your coronation speech?”

“Uncle, I understand that Faerghus was in desperate need of a king. But our kingdom is low on budget, and the people are suffering from the harsh winter and food shortage. Can’t we make this a simple coronation ceremony? Next year, when the weather has warmed up and everything is more stable, we can proceed with the formal ceremony.”

“I am afraid that is not possible,” Rufus said. “I have already laid out all the coronation plans, and the nobles have made all the arrangements already. I can’t just cancel it on a whim.”

“But uncle, what I am trying to say is…”

“Alright, alright,” Rufus cut him before he could continue. “Everything is in good hands. You don’t have to worry about it. Speaking about your coronation, the daughters of Count Gideon and Lord Mateus are here. You should get to know them to help decide on your future queen.”

“This again?” Dimitri sighed. “I have said that I don’t want to rush into marriage.”

“I didn’t say that you have to marry on the day of your coronation, but it is essential you get to know them and decide on a suitable queen candidate.” Rufus insisted. “A king needs a queen to help run the kingdom, you know?”

“I know, I know.” Dimitri sighed. “But let me decide it at my own pace. My marriage issue is not the problem of the kingdom.”

“It will be a problem eventually if you continue delaying it,” Rufus argued back. “The council was desperate for the future of the kingdom. With your father gone, the Blaiddyd line is almost extinct. You are the only hope to pass down the crest and your father’s legacy.”

Dimitri heaved a sigh as he smoothed the wrinkles on his dress shirt. Obviously, his uncle was shoving all his work on him again. The man had been constantly bringing up marriage in hopes of maintaining peace and morale within the kingdom, but things just weren’t that simple. Moreover, too much finance had been spent on the kingdom’s celebration. They still needed to feed the people and pay for the food supplied by the Alliance.

* * *

Come evening and Dimitri dragged his tired body back to his own quarters. Those young ladies just now were a handful. He spent the entire afternoon drinking tea and having conversation with them one by one. It was torturous. They were annoying to begin with, talking all sorts of gossip and heaping him with praises to flatter him. Some even went as far as trying to flirt with him to gain his favour and attention. They were driving him nuts.

“Hey Your Highness, you are looking as gloomy as ever,” Sylvain greeted him back at his quarters. “Did you have fun with all those women?”

“I bet I would enjoy this if I were you, Sylvain.” Dimitri glared back as he removed his outer cloak. “All these things just for the sake of my coronation. I swear it is driving me crazy.”

“Hey calm down now.” Sylvain tried to cheer him up. “It’s not like you have to marry before your coronation, so why not just take it easy. Those women want nothing but power and wealth, so you shouldn’t be taking them seriously.”

“And why would I do that?”

“Because if they realize you do not have your eyes on them, then they will probably have to give up knowing that they have no chance .”

Dimitri rolled his eyes as he ran a hand over his hair, ruffling some of the unruly strands that tried to get into his eyes. “Why am I surprised with such things? I bet only you have the guts to do such things, Sylvain.” He pulled on a more casual coat and changed out his formal boots.

“Hey, the reason why I am here is not to teach you about the art of flirting.” Sylvain corrected him. “In fact, Dedue actually sent me here to get you.”

“Ah, I see. It must be time for dinner, right?”

“You could say that.” Sylvain nodded. “You better come now or Ingrid will complain.”

Sylvain led the way but Dimitri found out that they were not heading for the dinner room. Instead, Sylvain showed him the secret passage that allowed them to get out of the castle unnoticed. Ingrid and Dedue were already at the castle gates waiting for them.

“Your Highness, I am sorry for not being there to help you remove your clothes.” Dedue bowed to him in apology.

“How are you faring, Dimitri?” Ingrid asked. “Those ladies were giving you a hard time weren’t they?”

“I don’t want to care about them if I could.” Dimitri sighed. “Anyway, why are you guys here? Aren’t we’re supposed to have dinner at this time?”

“Of course we are going to have dinner,” Sylvain chimed in. “But we are not going to do it in the castle. We are eating out tonight.”

“Eating out?” Dimitri’s eyes widened at the suggestion. “Is it okay for that? I remembered that I have an appointment with the nobles tonight.”

“We got that covered,” Dedue said. “I informed the Grand Duke that you wished to rest for the night, so I told him to cancel the plan to meet the nobles.”

“Perhaps the Grand Duke will be furious, but we will worry about that later,” Sylvain said. “After all, we’re doing this for your sake, so we will make sure that when you get caught, we will readily accept our punishment for your sake.”

“Sylvain means it.” Ingrid laughed a bit. “The council has been putting you through many ordeals for the sake of your coronation. But we cannot just sit by and watch you get drowned in your work, so we decided to get you out of the castle ground to relieve yourself.”

“I guess I cannot say no to that.” Dimitri nodded in response. “I admit all that work is getting on me. Maybe a good meal outside the castle is needed after all, just for a moment to relax.”

“Great, I know a place that sells the best stew. You are definitely gonna like it,” Sylvain said before he led them out to the streets in Fhirdiad. The streets had become dark, and fire lamps were lit across the street to give off some visibility. Nights in Faerghus can be rather chilly but they weren’t bothered much by it. Having to grow up in the frigid lands had taught them to be adaptable and resilient even in the toughest times. 

“I had a great night today,” Dimitri finally said when Dedue escorted him back to his room. “I am grateful for what you all have done for me.”

“I am glad you enjoy it, Your Highness.” A small smile graced on Dedue’s feature. “I know that you are going to be busier than before once you are crowned the King of Faerghus, but know that you must always have time to relax. Sylvain, Ingrid, and I will always be there to support you so you can always rely on us. You don’t have to shoulder all the burdens by yourself.”

“Thank you for everything, Dedue.” Dimitri managed to smile and eased some tension. “Knowing that all of you are here to support me and stand by my side gives me a lot of courage to walk down my path. For that, I promise that I will be a good king for the people of Faerghus.”

“You will definitely be a just king.” Dedue said. “After all, from the time you saved me in Duscur, I had already known you would be a king worthy for me to serve.”

Of course, Dimitri remembered how Dedue lost everything during the Tragedy of Duscur. The Tragedy of Duscur marked the darkest era in the Kingdom’s history. King Lambert and his entourage were all being murdered during the tour to Duscur, said to be the work of the people of Duscur who opposed the former king. The kingdom’s army retaliated by attacking the people of Duscur, killing many innocent people including women and children. Dedue lost his family in the massacre, and he wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Dimitri.

“At first, I thought my life was coming to an end, but then you saved me.” Dedue said. “Since then, I decided to devote my life to your cause — your enemy is my enemy. You are our hope, bring justice to those who died on that day and let everyone see the truth.”

“I have always believed in you, Dedue.” Dimitri said in return. “It is a duty for those of us who survived the tragedy. I promise to save and clear the misunderstanding surrounding its people. Together, we can make a better world and live together peacefully.”

“Then let me be your driving force. Let me help you to build this new world, and be by your side to witness its birth.”

“Thank you, Dedue. I promise it won’t be an empty promise.” After the tragedy of Duscur, Dedue insisted on accompanying Dimitri’s side. Initially, Dimitri worried about his safety in the castle but Dedue enlisted himself into the kingdom’s army and devoted himself to protect the prince. He was not welcomed by the castle occupants due to his Duscur origins, and Ingrid was initially suspicious of him. When he first came to the castle, Dedue had addressed him by his name, much to the noble’s chagrin and they requested the boy to leave for showing disrespect to the prince. But Dimitri dismissed all those ill rumours and let Dedue became one of the knights in training. After he completed with his training, the prince personally appointed him to be his personal retainer. Everything he did is just to convey a simple message: Let’s live together in peace. But peace is not easy to have despite its simple concept, past wounds and tragedies are often the cause that made people fight and hate each other. Dimitri realized, if he has to break down the barrier that divide the people, mutual understanding and respect are necessary for both side to accept each other and maintain peace within them.

* * *

Days leading up to Dimitri’s coronation had made the castle occupants’ busier than usual. The public area of the castle was being cleaned and decorated before it was to be opened to the public. Kitchen staff and servants sought for the kingdom’s best delicacies to be prepared and served on the grand occasion. More importantly, nobles across the kingdom flocked into the kingdom’s capital to swear themselves in service of their king.

“I thank all of you for coming today…” Back in his quarters, Dimitri was rehearsing his speech he was about to recite on the day of his coronation. “My father, King Lambert, passed years ago. The kingdom has been in much agony with the loss of a great man…”

Dedue knocked on the door before he entered the room. “Your Highness, the Grand Duke of Itha is here to see you.”

“Understood. I will meet him immediately,” Dimitri said. He followed Dedue out of his sleeping quarters into his work room where Rufus was there waiting for him.

“Your coronation attire has just arrived,” Rufus informed him. “And the nobles all across the kingdom have arrived at the capital.”

“Everything is according to plan, I hope?” Dimitri asked.

“Of course.” Rufus nodded. “The tradition of the nobles gathering at Fhirdiad to witness their new king and swear their pledge to him is an important ceremony in the Kingdom. We must not let any one of our plans fail or it will be bad omen for the kingdom.”

“I see. If I remembered correctly, I was supposed to hold a conference meeting with them to get to know them better. And then, a reception dinner at night.”

“I assure you, Dimitri. It is just a small functional event for you and the nobles. They travelled all the way here after all, and we are the hosts. We must make sure to show them some hospitality,” Rufus advised him. “You are the future king. Make sure to give your men a good impression so that they will show you some respect.”

Dimitri heaved a sigh. “I understand, uncle. I will make sure to keep that in mind.”

“Speaking of which, Cornelia is overseeing the preparation progress in the capital. She said that your coronation ceremony has to be something worth remembering, so she had been working head to toes getting everything done.”

“Remind me to award her after the ceremony,” Dimitri said. “While I don’t want it to be too lavish, it can’t be helped that certain things must be done. I must credit her for being able to handle so many things efficiently.”

Meeting with the nobles has become a normalcy for Dimitri. Despite the number of attendants being larger than usual, it was not much different from their usual council meeting. The nobles would introduce themselves to him and report their county situation to. He would then engage in some small talks with them about the kingdom’s affairs.

“Getting the hang of it, Your Highness?” Ingrid asked as she helped him with his cloak. “Those nobles are pestering you again, aren’t they?”

“It’s alright. I have gotten used to it already,” Dimitri said, trying to keep himself straight. “As much as I dislike it, I will eventually become king the day after tomorrow. Things will just get busier after that, so I must get used to this situation now.”

“I understand the burden you carry.” She frowned a little. “You are still quite young and your father’s untimely death has caused many uncertainties in the kingdom. Perhaps it is best that you ascend the throne as soon as possible to restore order within the kingdom.”

“The people have been suffering because there has been no king to lead them. Many issues had arisen because of this. There is a lot of work to be done once I am crowned.” Dimitri set his sight out of the window. The streets of Fhirdiad were decorated with some ornaments, courtesy of Cornelia’s effort. Despite the chills outside, the people were dancing and singing on the street, as if they were praying for a better future.

“Your Highness, the banquet is about to start,” Dedue announced. “Are you ready?”

“Yes Dedue, you’re just on time.”

It was believed that when the kingdom was founded, the nobles and knights who were loyal to King Loog gathered around him at the banquet table to celebrate their ruler’s success. From then onward, it became a tradition for the nobles to gather at the banquet table as a sign of showing their loyalty to the future king.

Dimitri sat at one end of the table, Rufus sat on his right side. The nobles sat according to their ranking, those who had higher positions in court sat closer to him. Dimitri could spot Sylvain and Ingrid sitting among the nobles, just next to their fathers. Sylvain shot him a grin, encouraging him to be confident. Dimitri managed a smile at them before he took his seat and gestured to all of them to enjoy the night.

After the feast, a soiree was held at the reception hall for the nobles to get along and bonded with each other. He recognized some of the nobles who had been serving the kingdom since its foundation, such as Margrave Gautier, Count Rowe, Count Charon and Baron Dominic. There were also several houses that had worked hard to be recognized and rose in status as a result. He didn’t really remember much of those minor nobles but the meeting just now gave him some impression on how he should deal with them.

“The nobility can be quite a handful, aren’t they?” Sylvain said. “There was Baron Olfus who served under Count Rowe and there was Lord Trelborg who was just promoted to serve under Count Gideon.”

“Honestly I don’t think I can remember all of those minor lords.” Dimitri admitted. “But they seemed promising. I just hope they won’t be causing me anymore trouble. We still don’t even have any clue about what happened to Lord Marseille.”

“It doesn’t hurt to be extra careful,” Sylvain said. “There are some nobility who were against the king for some reason.” He stopped to take a sip of his wine before he continued, “I have heard that in the past some of the nobles became estranged from the king and even started a rebellion to dispose of him. Then, there were also some nobles who were so greedy for power that they would do anything to get what they wanted.”

“Sylvain, it’s unusual for you to say something so dark…”

“I mean, you have witnessed it yourself, haven’t you?” Sylvain pressed on. “You should be careful. There’s a reason your father was killed. They may not kill you, but they could also try to sway you into doing what they wish. The nobility is a place full of thorns, you know.”

Dimitri took a sip of his drink and scanned the crowd in the hall. Everything seemed to be alright, at a glance. But Sylvain had a point. Faerghus had not been peaceful ever since his father died. The people who killed his father probably found that his radical policy could be endangering their power and position, but they had gone as far as to do the unthinkable 

Sylvain left shortly afterwards, needing to discuss something with his father. He could see Ingrid chatting with one of the noblemen at one corner of the room, probably the son of a Marquis. Just then, a servant came up to him and informed him that the Grand Duke wished to speak with him at his office.

* * *

That actually sounded a bit odd. His uncle usually enjoyed these occasions, so why would he leave the soiree halfway? Moreover, Rufus’ office was on the west wing which was quite far from the reception hall. Even if it meant there was some urgent or private matter, he could have just pulled Dimitri out of the hall to talk. Still, he decided not to make his uncle wait and headed off to the west wing.

The hallway in the castle was quiet at this moment of time. He would occasionally come across some servants or soldiers working or patrolling. Two guards were stationed at the entrance of the west wing.

“The Grand Duke of Itha has requested for me to meet him at his office. Please allow me to see him,” He informed the guard.

“The grand duke wishes to meet you at his office?” One of the guards raised a brow. “I never heard about him expecting an audience.”

“Is that so?” Dimitri raised a brow in confusion. “I am serious about it. He sent his servant to deliver the message to me.”

“Let me make myself clear once more. I never heard the Grand Duke talking about meeting anyone at this time.”

“It seems like this lad here was intent on intruding. Shall we take care of him before he harms the Grand Duke?”

“Wait, what are you talking about?” Dimitri tried to explain himself, but the guards ignored him and drew their lances at him. He managed to dodge their attacks and held his ground. “Don’t you all recognize me?”

“Of course we know,” Someone said from behind. “Crown Prince of Faerghus, I pray that your reign will be a long and peaceful one.” He turned around to try to identify the person but he was hit by a wave of dark magic and lost consciousness.

* * *

“Get up!” He heard someone say, but his head was too heavy to register those words. “I said GET UP! You spoiled brat!” And he felt someone kick his chin.

“Wha… what… Wh-Where am I?” Consciousness finally came back to him and he could finally register his surroundings with clarity. Blue eyes blinked to adjust to the dim candlelight while chasing away the blurry vision.

“You’re in the dungeon, you dimwit prince!” One of the guards said. “You sure as hell you enjoyed a goodnight’s sleep, didn't’ cha? You have the decency to sleep when the castle is being attacked, pah!”

“Wh-What?! The castle… The castle is being attacked?! What is going on here?!” Dimitri demanded. He struggled but found his hands bound by shackles.

“Of course you don’t know. We stormed into the castle while you were enjoying the night.”

“What have you done?!”

“Relax, Your Majesty.” One of them taunted at him. “As soon as that uncle of yours is killed, you will join your family. So I guess I should chant ‘Long Live King Dimitri’, that’s how you say it right?”

“Dastards! I won’t let you get away with this!” Dimitri cursed and struggled against his restraint.

“Sit back and relax, Your Highness. The party isn’t over yet,” Another one remarked sarcastically. “Anyone who tries to stand against us, shall die.” They broke into laughter as they left the prison, leaving Dimitri all alone in the dark.

Dimitri didn’t remember when he dozed off, and neither did he remember how long he slept. He kept hearing voices, telling him to avenge them, spill blood for those who died. They were banging at his cell doors, calling out to him to fight back.

“Your Highness!” Someone called out. Is that one of those apparitions? It sounded familiar, however. “Your Highness!” The banging continued.

Groggily, Dimitri managed to open his eyes again, the apparition just now seemed to have faded away. And now the only person he saw standing outside his cell was Dedue. “Your Highness, thank the goddess you are alive!” He exclaimed in relief.

“D-Dedue? H-How… What… What is going on?” Dimitri stuttered, still fighting for clarity.

“Assassins stormed in the castle and attacked the nobles during the banquet,” Dedue explained. “When I heard that you had gone missing, I searched all over the castle for you. I am just glad to see that you’re still alive.” The Duscur man quickly scanned his surrounding before fishing out a bunch of keys. “But first, let’s get you out of here.” He unlocked the cell door and freed Dimitri’s from his shackle.

Dimitri winced a bit at the blister on his wrist. His joints and limbs complained from being tortured and remained bound for too long. He rubbed his hips as he tried to stand up and Dedue gave him a hand for support. They walked out of the cell and ran into one of the secret escape paths. “Is everyone alright?” He finally asked once he finally remembered what had transpired. “My uncle, Sylvain and Ingrid?”

“A number of nobles were killed during the assassination, but your uncle and friends are alright.” Dedue explained. “Margrave Gautier and Count Galatea sent them back home ahead to protect them. The Grand Duke is being heavily guarded in his quarters, as there were rumours that the assassins are roaming the castle.”

“Dedue, bring me to my uncle, please.” Dimitri begged. “He must be worried about me. I need to see him.”

“Your Highness, I understand how you feel, but please don’t be reckless with it.” Dedue tried to hold him still. “The assassins are still at large. They would’ve killed you if you are in sight. The castle is not a safe place for now, we must leave this place immediately.”

Dimitri stopped in his pace, eyes desperately looking around. “But Dedue, I… How…” He looked broken, as if he had lost his sanity. But before he could voice out his words properly, footsteps can be heard behind them. The assassins must have discovered Dimitri’s disappearance and are now searching for him. Dedue picked up the sounds and hoisted up Dimitri before he started to dash for the exit.

“Your Highness, you must survive, no matter what!” Dedue reminded him. “You’re the hope of the kingdom. Live so that you may see your dreams come true. Live for the sake of those who died. That is what you have been doing, isn’t it?”

“There are suspicious figures ahead!” They heard the voices behind called out, louder than before. “Catch them before they escape!”

Arrows were firing towards them. “Your Highness, hurry!” Dedue dragged him but escaping with an injured man in toll slowed down his movements. Dedue caught sight of an arrow heading towards Dimitri and quickly used his body to shield him. The arrow lodged itself on Dedue’s shoulder. They continued to run, but Dedue began to slow down as well.

“Damn it, this arrow is poisonous…” Dedue cursed as he pulled out the arrow. “At this rate, we will not be able to make it out alive.” He quickly grabbed a spare cloak and draped it over Dimitri. “Your Highness, I am sorry for leaving you, but promise me that you will live on so that you can have your revenge.”

“Dedue… No, I am not leaving you. You need medical treatment.”

“I am sorry, Your Highness. But I will not be listening to your orders.” Dedue insisted. “As I said, you are the hopes of your people. You must not die here.”

“No Dedue, this is an order. I won’t allow you to die for me.”

“No, you listen to me, Dimitri. I am grateful that you saved my life back in Duscur, and I do not regret serving you even if it means dying for you. So please don’t let all this be in vain, live so that you could bring those who were responsible to justice, help us avenge for those who has fallen, do not lose sight of your life.”

“Dedue…” Dimitri pursed his lips in a tight line. There was so much he wanted to say, he wished he wasn’t injured so that he could helped the man, but the voices of his pursuers were getting louder and closer. There was little time left. “I won’t forget you, Dedue! And I promise not to let your sacrifice be a waste.” With that, he pulled on the cloak and ran away, leaving Dedue alone in the passage.

He escaped from the castle, running into two guards who were patrolling in the castle compound. He showed no remorse in knocking them down and stealing their weapons before he pressed on, escaping from the castle using a secret entrance he used to know as a child. Yet he continued to run, even though his legs ached and begged to rest. He ran and ran until the familiar alleyways of Fhirdiad faded away and his shadow disappeared in the middle of the cold and dark night. All the while his mind continued to repeat the same word over and over again,  _ I am sorry I am sorry I am sorry _ …


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prince was found, but something was wrong with him. His allies decided (or tried) to fix him (with much difficulties).

Four months had passed since the assassination attack in Fhirdiad Castle and the disappearance of Prince Dimitri. Soldiers were dispatched all across the kingdom to search for the lost prince, but they all turned up empty-handed. With no other options, Grand Duke Rufus assumed the throne and ruled in Dimitri’s stead while the search continued. However, the nobilities within the kingdom began to split; a faction chose to support the Grand Duke and the other supported Prince Dimitri. With tension rising in the kingdom, cracks began to form in the kingdom and was in the fragile state of collapse.

“Damn that Rufus, he is good for nothing!” Count Charon cursed when he received the report from the Grand Duke. “Does he think that we would believe this piece of garbage?!”

“Clearly there must be some sort of conspiracy going on,” Count Galatea said. “To have an assassination just days before the coronation.”

Gilbert picked up the letter and scanned its contents before putting it down once more. “I agree with the two of you. There is no evidence to prove that His Highness is dead.”

“I know right? That man is giving excuses just to extinguish our hope of finding the rightful heir. He must have wanted the throne all to himself.”

“I have always had my faith in Prince Dimitri. He is a strong man, and there is no way he could fall so easily.” Gilbert agreed. “We must continue our search for the prince and find him first. We can’t let the kingdom soldiers find him first.”

“I hope we can make progress.” Count Galatea said. “The Grand Duke has recently ordered an increase in tax payment. The people do not have enough food to feed themselves, let alone pay the country.”

“Not only that, the nobilities are now split between those who support the Grand Duke and those who support Prince Dimitri. It will only be a matter of time when civil war breaks out and the country will collapse into ruins,” Count Charon said. “I will dispatch my soldiers to search further into the west of the kingdom, though most of the areas in the west had bent towards the Grand Duke.”

“Is there really no way to persuade the Grand Duke to be more benevolent to the people?” Sylvain asked. “Surely he needs our advice and opinion when it comes to governing.”

“As sage as your solution may sound, the Grand Duke isn’t the kind of person to play fairly.” Count Galatea told him. “You do remembered what he did to those nobles who tried to advise him otherwise, it didn’t turn out well and their people ended up suffering.”

“It’s not wise to openly oppose the Grand Duke. Perhaps you will be fine with losing your title but your people will end up suffering, so it is not a good thing in the long run.” Count Charon told Sylvain. “It’s best that we obey him first to cut our losses. As for the financial burden of the people, we need to secure an extra income source so that the people can earn more money to feed themselves.”

* * *

The meeting was called to an end without a proper decision made. Sylvain and Ingrid walked out of the room and into the garden. “This is getting nowhere,” Sylvain said, putting his arms behind his head. “Dimitri is really giving us a lot of trouble.”

“Just when we thought that the kingdom would regain its glory when Dimitri ascended the throne. All these incidents have thrown everything off course.” Ingrid frowned. “Clearly, the assassination was a planned ordeal.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the Grand Duke had something to do with Dimitri’s assassination,” Sylvain stated. “Back in those years, there were assassination attempts on the crown prince and and as a precaution he was sent away to Arianrhod.”

“Honestly speaking, the Grand Duke is not someone we can trust.” Ingrid sighed and shook her head. “All he did is run the kingdom into ruins. We should have disposed of him before he was to lay his hands on Dimitri.”

“I understand how you feel, but Dimitri wouldn’t want to go against his uncle. And now the kingdom knights and majority of the nobles support the Grand Duke, I don’t think we have a chance of winning if we were to go against him.”

“Enough, you two.” Gilbert walked out to the balcony to join them. “I know that there are many things you are worried about. But if we were to go against the Grand Duke, our best bet would be to find Prince Dimitri alive first.”

“Easier said than done.” Sylvain threw his arms in the air. “We don’t even have a single clue about the prince’s whereabouts.”

“That would mean that we have to continue with our search,” Gilbert insisted. “We must find him before the knights. If we manage to find Prince Dimitri, we can rally support from the public and win against those traitors.”

“Of course we will continue with our search even though this is no easy task.” Sylvain laughed. “I guess we will have to try very hard.”

“Sylvain, enough of this joke,” Ingrid chided him. “Shouldn’t you be returning to Gautier to report to your father?”

“I will be going,” He replied. “I should be heading off after lunch.”

“Is it okay for me to accompany you?” Gilbert asked. “I would like to meet with Margrave Gautier and discuss some things with him.”

“You are welcome to tag along, but my father could be busy taking care of bandits running amok in the kingdom.”

* * *

Dimitri went missing days before his coronation. Both Sylvain and Ingrid were sent away from Fhirdiad by their respective fathers to keep them safe from the conflict. Dedue also went missing after the attack. The assassination attack had left Fhirdiad in a state of chaos that the public and nobles were in panic knowing that the remaining royal families were in danger. All that was put to rest when Rufus came to calm the public and sent the assassins to be executed. However, Prince Dimitri remained missing, and the kingdom knights began an extensive search for the lost prince for three months.

With Prince Dimitri still nowhere to be found even after three months, Grand Duke Rufus made a public announcement stating that he will be assuming the throne to rule Faerghus, considering that Prince Dimitri was likely no longer alive. Some people believed that letting the Grand Duke rule was the only option left to ensure the survival of the monarchy. Others disagreed with the statement, stating that Prince Dimitri was the true ruler of Faerghus, and he may still be alive somewhere. The search for the prince continued, but the efforts dwindled with time. Soon, there were impostors posing as the lost prince in hopes of gaining the throne and power but they were executed.

In the meantime, Rufus’ negligence in governing the kingdom caused the kingdom to decline even further. Corruptions amongst the nobles were high and the frequency of bandits attacks on the villages continued to rise. The nobility who supported Prince Dimitri refused to believe the rumours of the prince’s death and continued to search for the prince in hopes that he would claim the throne and restore the kingdom back to its former glory.

* * *

Sylvain and Gilbert left Charon Territory and headed north towards Gautier Territory as soon as things were settled. Count Galatea had helped them secure a secret path to reach Gautier Territory without alerting the forces loyal to the Grand Duke. Although House Gautier was still standing strong against Rufus’ reign, their position at the far north of the kingdom gave them quite a disadvantage. The Itha Territory had been a strategic stronghold of Rufus, which allowed his force to monitor their movements. They have to be extra careful when passing through the territory if they didn’t want to get caught.

The two of them crossed Galatea Territory and decided to rest for a change before heading into the border of Itha Territory. Sylvain then decided to bring up the topic he had been meaning to ask. “Gilbert, I am actually curious about you,” He started. “You seem to be very familiar about our kingdom. And honestly speaking, I feel you look familiar to me, as if I have met you somewhere.”

His words were met with silence from the older man. Gilbert seemed to be taking his time to process his answer while sipping his tea. “I think that perhaps you should know about me since I have come all my way here. I was once a knight working under the royal family.”

“Maybe I have misspoken, but you’re Annette’s father right?” Sylvain questioned. “She kept talking about you back in the academy, you know? Why would you leave your family behind?”

“I failed my duties as a knight. I let the king die before me,” Gilbert answered. “I could not face my family nor my country so I left the kingdom to train myself. When I heard that Prince Dimitri would be assuming the throne, I thought that I should return back to Faerghus and swore my service to the prince in the name of the previous king.”

“You know, if you had stayed back then, perhaps Prince Dimitri would not have been attacked or gone missing in the first place.” Sylvain joked half-heartedly. “And Annette could’ve spent more time with her father.”

“You could say this will be another regret of mine.” Gilbert sighed. “I guess I really am to be blamed for the former king’s death and the prince’s assassination.”

“Hey now,” Sylvain snapped him from his thoughts. “It is not a good thing to indulge in past regrets, ya know? And you don’t have to put the blame all on yourself, it’s not your fault that all these happened. Now that things have happened, what we can do is to fix it before it becomes worse.”

“Do you think it is possible?” Gilbert questioned the possibility.

“While it is true that we don’t know whether the prince is still alive or not, the movement of the kingdom knights and the Grand Duke’s behavior likely indicate that Dimitri is still alive.” Sylvain deduced. “They would have shown us the body if the prince was dead.”

“What you said makes sense, but we must find the prince quickly regardless. We cannot let Rufus’ soldiers find him or they will have him executed.” Gilbert agreed.

* * *

The two of them continued their journey. On their way, they passed by a village where a group of villagers were seen performing mass burial. Gilbert noticed that the dead bodies littered in the fields were kingdom soldiers and the way they were killed suggested that their death had been a painful one.

“Has something happened in this village?” Sylvain wondered his question out loud. “The kingdom soldiers look like they were brutally slaughtered.”

“I have the same question in mind too.” Gilbert nodded in agreement. “If it was a bandit attack, their target would be the civilians, not the soldiers. Moreover, they seem to have been killed in a very brutal way —most bandits don’t have incentive to kill that way .”

“Maybe we can get some answers from the villagers,” Sylvain said. He called out to one of the villagers to inquire about the situation.

“It is an utterly devastating carnage.” The villager, an old man informed them. “We discovered their bodies in the village outskirts. They were all killed in such brutality that we can only describe it as a nightmare.”

“Has there been any suspicious figure appearing in the village lately?” Gilbert asked.

“These soldiers came to patrol our village because there was a rumour that a group of bandits was hiding in our village.” The old man said. “However, the only problem we faced involved food theft. No attacks have been made on the people.”

“Then what happened to the soldiers? Why were they killed?”

The old man shook his head. “We don’t know who did this.” He said. “Some villagers reported that they heard screams last night but we don’t know who did this or why it was done.”

Sylvain wished to continue with their journey back to Gautier Territory, but Gilbert insisted on investigating the matter. The two of them travelled around the village to question some of the villagers about the incident but no one knew who the culprit of such an atrocity could be. Some villagers had also expressed concerns that bandits could be stealing their food. When dusk eventually settled, the results were still inconclusive. Gilbert decided that they should spend the night in the village watching out if the culprit were to make a move tonight.

Night came and passed but nothing happened in the village, much to Gilbert’s disappointment. Sylvain, on the other hand, was getting anxious. He sent a messenger owl to his father saying that he will be late, but this was taking too much time. There was other stuff he had to worry about.

“Last night has been a peaceful one, has it not?” Gilbert mused as Sylvain brushed his horse’s mane. “Could it be that the bandits have left for another village? But it still does not make sense that they attacked the soldiers but not the villagers.”

“Just quit it already, old man.” Sylvain said, his voice having a little hint of annoyance. “Nothing will work if we just sit here doing nothing. Perhaps we should return to Gautier as soon as possible and plan for our next course of action.”

“Perhaps that is the only thing we can do right now…”

Just then, a messenger owl landed before them and gave Sylvain a roll of parchment. Sylvain accepted the letter and began reading its content. “I think you might want to read this message, just delivered from my father.”

The letter was a short one. Margrave Gautier filled in Sylvain on matters within Gautier Territory. Although Gautier was still standing strong against the forces from Sreng, the situation within the kingdom was not a peaceful one. The majority of the nobles from the west of the kingdom had sworn allegiance to Rufus but the common folks were against Rufus’ policy and rebellions broke out across the cities. It would only be a matter of time before rebellions reached the capital. There were also rumours swirling about the capital regarding a beast attacking the soldiers. The margrave mentioned that a group of soldiers were dispatched to patrol the outskirts of Galatea Territory but were brutally slaughtered during the night. Only a few survived and they all had serious injuries.

“Doesn’t that sound like what we saw yesterday?” Sylvain perked up at the last part of the letter. “About soldiers being killed during the night? And the location was also mentioned to be the outskirts of Galatea too.”

“It does seem very similar to what we witnessed yesterday, and at the right place too.” Gilbert scanned through the letter content as he thought about it. “So it is possible that it could be the work of a beast lurking around the village. But still, something does not seem right.”

“Are you saying that we should investigate this matter?” Sylvain asked. “About this beast, I assume?”

“I know that there are other things we need to take care of, but I can’t shake off a bad feeling about all of these incidents.” Gilbert said. “I do hope that my suspicions could prove me wrong.”

* * *

The two of them returned back to where the massacre took place the day before. They took note of the damage done during the attack and the location where the soldiers were being killed. Gilbert noted that the place was the outskirts of the village and was very far away from the villagers’ house, so it is possible that the villagers were not aware of the attack. Moreover, next to the field is a forest that surrounds an abandoned tower, known as Conand Tower.

“Do you suspect the bandits, beasts, or whatever you called it was hiding in Conand Tower?” Sylvain asked, the same question lingering in his mind.

“It is an abandoned tower after all.” Gilbert stated. “I am not surprised that many bandits used this place as their base considering the location.”

_ It is also the place where my brother was killed _ , Sylvain recalled. It was years ago when his brother was disowned because he lacked a crest. He ended up forming a group of bandits and stole the Gautier’s prized possession, the Lance of Ruin. In the end, he got transformed into a beast for trying to use the power of the relic, costing his life.

“If you don’t mind, I would like to inspect the tower for a bit. Perhaps the culprit is hiding in there all the time.” Gilbert said before he began to march towards the tower.

“I-I will come along too. It would be dangerous if there were many of them.” Sylvain quickly tagged behind him.

There was a sense of dread that overcame them when Conand Tower came into view. Bodies of dead soldiers were found littering all over the place. Gilbert was right about the culprit using the tower as its base. The two of them continued to climb the tower, noting the increasing number of mangled bodies as they continued upwards. But their discovery is going to be the most shocking thing they will ever see.

At the far end corner of the highest floor, they found the one responsible for the massacre of the soldiers. It was not a group of bandits, nor was it a beast, but a lone man. The man curled up at the corner of the room, using his fur cloak to keep himself warm from the chills. One of his hands tightly gripped his bloodied lance as if he was prepared to attack any intruders that entered his field of vision. What caught their eyes however was the familiar blonde hair, messy and stained with blood.

“D-Dimitri…?” Sylvain muttered.

The person in question lifted up his head, a single blue eye void of expression scanned the people before him before he turned away. “You’re not the person I was looking for.”

“Your Highness, what happened to you?” Gilbert asked, albeit a bit terrified.

“Does it matter to you? I am as good as dead.” Dimitri snarled at them. “If you’re here to take me back, I won’t because I will have your head.”

“Stop it, Dimitri,” Sylvain called out. “It’s me, Sylvain. You can’t be telling me that you had forgotten your friend.”

“Friends or foes, they are all the same. They help you when they need you, then turn their backs on you when they find no more use of you.”

“I’m just glad you’re safe, Dimitri,” Gilbert said. “Maybe you will not believe in me, but we will always stand by your side no matter what.”

“Gilbert is right, Dimitri,” Sylvain added on. “There are still many lords that believe in you and are desperately searching for you, you know? All of us believe that you’re the rightful leader the kingdom needs.”

“Your Highness, please allow us to fight alongside with you.” Gilbert persuaded. “You are the legitimate heir of Faerghus. Only you can reclaim the kingdom and bring everyone together.”

“And what do you think I can possibly gain from reclaiming the kingdom? My father, stepmother, Dedue… All of them suffered because of those traitors, and I must bring their heads to end their suffering.” Dimitri argued back. “If you truly wish to help me, then allow me to have my revenge for those who died.”

“Not all of us here are traitors, you know?” Sylvain frowned a little. “Some of the nobles bend their knees to the Grand Duke because their people were at stake, but I’m sure they will support you if you return.” 

“Anyone who turned against me are my enemies, no matter what their intentions are! I will kill every last one of them!”

Sylvain let out a sigh. He seemed to have given up on advising the prince. “Your Highness, we’re just trying to help you. If you could just calm down…”

“Then tell me.” He demanded. “You had been talking about stopping the traitors, but what’s the point if we don’t bring them to justice? I want them to experience the suffering they have caused!”

“Your Highness, please try to understand.” Gilbert said, trying to persuade the prince to think more rationally. “The people need you more than anything. You are the only one who can rally them against your uncle.”

“So you agree that we must fight back against those traitors, huh?” A devilish smile came across Dimitri’s feature. “I must wipe them out for father, stepmother, Dedue… Don’t leave any one of them alive.”

“I understand that you wish to reach Fhirdiad as soon as possible to avenge them, but with our current situation, we do not stand a chance.” Gilbert advised him. “I suggested that you followed us to Gautier Territory where we will gather the soldiers and decide our next course of action.”

“A waste of time!” Dimitri complained, crossing his arms before his chest. “All I want is to have those traitors gutted and have their heads hung. If we take too much time to prepare, they will continue to live.”

“But we really don’t have a choice,” Sylvain told him. “We are lacking in numbers of soldiers. Even if we were to march to Fhirdiad, we would be easily outnumbered.”

Gilbert let out a sigh. It was true that they were relieved to find Dimitri still alive but the state of his mind was concerning. His hatred and isolation had consumed him, blurring the lines of delusion and reality.

“Your Highness, the least thing we can do is to take you out of this place.” Gilbert finally said after a moment of silence. “Although House Charon, Galatea, and Gautier have enough soldiers, they are still needed to hold the fort in their respective territories. I am afraid our forces are not enough to attack Fhirdiad,” He explained to Dimitri while trying to be patient. “Aside from that, Faerghus is not a peaceful place for now. Perhaps we should bring you out of the kingdom to somewhere safe for a period of time.”

“Wait Gilbert, are you saying that you plan to bring His Highness away from Faerghus?” Sylvain questioned. “You can’t be thinking of taking him to… that place, right?”

“I am not going anywhere!” Dimitri roared. “If I leave this place, those traitors will be out of reach! Are you asking me to ignore the dead and forgive them for what they have done?!

“No Dimitri, listen to us for once,” Gilbert insisted. “There is a place you need to visit. Towards the southeast of the Alliance is an island known as Morfis Island, it is said to be an island inhabited by the descendants of the Goddess. I wish to bring you there not only to receive a revelation from the Gods but also to gather reliable allies.”

“Gilbert, are you sure about that?” Sylvain asked. “I heard that Morfis Island can never be found on any maps and it is only open to those they deemed worthy.”

“Why are you taking me there?” Dimitri questioned. “Surely there are more ways to gather allies.”

“It is tradition for every king of Faerghus to make a pilgrimage to Morfis Island to receive revelation from the Goddess.” He darted an eye to Sylvain, signalling him not to talk anymore. “The Knights of Aegle are formidable knights, they could be our valuable allies when it comes to fighting for our cause.”

“You should go visit there for a bit, Your Highness,” Sylvain advised him. “I think it is important for you. You may also find some answers to some of your questions there.”

Dimitri huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Fine, I will go there if you guys insist so badly. But in return, promise me that we will get the traitors’ heads.”

“Just leave it all to us, Your Highness. And… Thank you for willing to listen to us.” Gilbert heaved a sigh of relief, at least they were able to sort some things, for now.

The next morning, Sylvain saw them off into the Alliance Territory. Dimitri and Gilbert rode their way into Ordelia Territory before taking the ship heading off to Morfis Island. In the meantime, Sylvain was tasked to deliver the message to the houses loyal to Prince Dimitri and to gather forces to rebel against Grand Duke Rufus.

* * *

Felix heaved a sigh as he scanned the contents of the letter on his desk. News about the assassination of the Prince of Faerghus had spread throughout Fodlan and the situation in the kingdom had gotten worse. He blamed himself for not being there for Dimitri, for not being strong enough to protect the prince. If only he was there during the time of assassination, then Dimitri would not have been killed and Faerghus would not be in such a situation.

“You’re still lamenting over the prince’s death?” Somebody asked, causing him to spin around from his seat. He scowled at the intruder as if he had invaded his privacy.

“I could ask the same of you, old man,” He retorted back. “All this time he has been suffering with no one to help him, and you had the decency to walk around as if nothing has happened. What about the promise you made back in those years?”

“I’m afraid that some things are beyond my hands.” Rodrigue said, his voice carrying a hint of guilt. “Well, part of it is my fault for not being there for His Highness. But it is also important that you think of yourself before thinking about others.”

“I understand what you’re trying to say, but this is my decision. I’d rather die than letting the royal bloodline come to an end.” Felix spat bitterly. “But it seems like no matter how hard I try, fate still has its way against my will. I failed my duty…”

“It’s not too late yet, Felix.” Rodrigue tried to console him. “It is true that the castle was attacked by assassins, but Dimitri’s was not found. Chances are, he is still alive somewhere. Dimitri is strong, and I believe that he would not fall so easily.”

“Perhaps that’s the only same thought I share with you, old man.” Felix frowned a bit as he turned to look at the view outside. “As much as I hate to cling on a small glimmer of hope, I am sure he is fighting to stay alive somewhere. I have faith in him, but still…”

Rodrigue placed a reassuring pat on Felix’s shoulder, giving Felix some sense of comfort. “What if I told you that Dimitri is still alive? Would you believe in it?”

“Cut it out, old man!” Felix snapped back. “Are you taking me for a five-year-old who can be easily convinced with all those empty words?”

“No Felix, I am literally speaking the truth.” He fished out a parchment of letters in his pocket. “I just received a message from Gilbert. He informed me that Dimitri was found alive and he will be bringing him to Morfis Island to protect him in the meantime..”

“He… What?!” The younger man jumped from his seat at the news. “You agree with Gilbert on bringing him here?”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. He needs to hide from the people who are supporting Rufus for the time being.” Rodrigue told him. “Moreover, the archbishop has received a prophecy that a hero will soon descend upon Fodlan and restore peace in the continent. I believe that she was referring to Dimitri, seeing as he has made his way here.”

Felix shook his head. “You don’t get it! Sending him here is literally a dead sentence. The archbishop is sending him for some impossible mission that will get him killed.”

“I’ve said it before, I believe in His Highness’ ability. He has survived against so many odds, I believe that he can succeed. He will be the king that everyone is proud of.” Rodrigue convinced him. Felix was about to object but Rodrigue silenced him. “You should rest now, my son. And don’t you try to do anything funny. It will not do you good to strain your body.” He said before he left.

Once Rodrigue finally left the room, Felix crumpled on his desk. “That foolish boar…” He muttered. On one hand he was glad that Dimitri was alive and coming to Morfis Island. On the other hand, he feared for the prince. Prince Dimitri was a strong man but he could also be reckless as well. The last thing he wanted was to let Dimitri march to his own death. He had seen the prince brush against death too many times.

He looked out of the window once more. The sea was calm, reflecting the full moon in the sky. “Dimitri… Please be alright…” He murmured out into the open air, as if hoping his voice could reach the prince who was out there somewhere.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri reunited with Felix but Felix was acting distant. Meanwhile, the prophecy began to take place as the Mark of Flame made its appearance.

The first thing that greeted Dimitri was the warm, humid weather of Morfis Island. He had never liked the heat. After all, he had spent his childhood growing up in the North; the summers were chilly and the sun never seemed to shine that brightly in his homeland. He was frustrated already having to leave Faerghus, but this heat seemed to make his mood worse.

Despite being a desolate land, Morfis Island had flourished with bountiful resources thanks to the concentration of magic in the land itself. Even from afar, the church could be seen from the harbour. Its pristine white walls stood on the mountainous grounds surrounded by defensive walls. Most of the houses near the city were built of light-coloured limestone, while the common folks’ residents were of a simpler design. Due to the dry and humid weather, water was an essential resource for the people. The church had aqueducts and canals built at the foot of the mountains to supply water for the urban area.

Dimitri followed Gilbert as they crossed the bridge to enter the church. The knights seemed to recognize Gilbert and they allowed them to pass without much question. A green haired man greeted Gilbert before he showed them to the audience hall where the archbishop was waiting for their arrival.

“Welcome back, Gilbert. I hope that your journey has been going well,” the archbishop greeted them with a serene smile. “It’s good to see you as well, Prince of Faerghus.”

“You seem well informed.” Dimitri said, uncaring of formality.

“You may be the prince of Faerghus, but you’re a guest in Morfis Island,” the green haired man reprimanded him. “Surely a prince knows basic etiquette and manners to show the archbishop some respect.”

“It’s alright, Seteth. I can see that he has been through much.” The archbishop shushed him. “I am called Rhea. I am the archbishop of the Church of Aegle. I am pleased to see that you are alright.”

“We cannot say the same for the kingdom though.” Gilbert stated. “It is only a matter of time before everything comes crashing down.”

“I understand how you feel but we have no right to interfere with the happenings of Fodlan.” Rhea said. “I suggest that you should get some rest here before you plan your next course of action.”

“Is this all you have to offer?” Dimitri grunted . Obviously, he was not satisfied with the answer. “After all the trouble I had travelling here, I am not going to waste my time idling. I must stop those traitors or else the suffering will continue.”

“I know it has been a hard time for you, Your Highness.” Rhea explained, trying to be patient. “The situation in the Kingdom is in dire state, but we do not have enough information to begin our attack. We must plan our actions first if we want to secure victory.”

“As much as I hate to say it, Morfis Island is a neutral territory and we usually do not interfere with the politics of Fodlan.” Seteth said. “But the archbishop is concerned that the situation in Fodlan could eventually cause trouble to Morfis Island. We have dispatched the Knights of Aegle to survey the situation in Fodlan, only then can we decide our next course of action.”

“Your Highness, the archbishop has promised to lend you a hand in this matter. Just give us the time to prepare and ascertain our enemy’s situation.” Gilbert tried to persuade him.

“Do as you please,” Dimitri said, not even batting an eye. “As long as I get to kill those traitors, that’s the only thing that matters to me.” He turned away and left the audience chamber.

“I’m sorry if he bothers you.” Gilbert apologized to them. “I fear that all his resentment and solitude has caused him to lose all sense of reality. It will be difficult to talk him out of this.”

“The road ahead of him will be a tough one.” Rhea said. “This is his own trial that he must overcome. Only time will tell if he will succeed or not. I just pray that the goddess will give him proper guidance and bring him back to the right path.”

* * *

Gilbert showed Dimitri to his own room where he simply stood by the balcony and looked far away, lost in thoughts. A young maiden in green hair brought him a spare change of clothes. She tried to strike up a conversation with him but he ignored her completely, so she ended up taking her leave.

Dimitri didn’t know how long he remained standing rooted in the same spot staring into the distance. The sky eventually darkened and he watched as the birds flew back from the sea to their nests. Eventually he returned back to his room, it was at least accommodating, not that he cared anyway.

Night time in Morfis Island drew away the heat of daytime. As darkness loomed across the land, the cold wind swept through silent streets. Like a beast lurking in the dark, Dimitri left his room and wandered across the empty halls of the church. He hadn’t had the time to explore during the afternoon, so he decided that he should take a look around the place to get familiar with it.

The Church of Aegle did not consist of the church alone. It also housed the headquarters for the Knights of Aegle. Dimitri had no intention of going to the knights’ quarter so he went straight towards the cathedral which was located on the second floor of the main wing.

The empty halls of the cathedral were illuminated with candle light. Scented wax released a soothing aroma that wafted across the cathedral. He continued with his pace, stopping when he reached the altar. Despite the calming atmosphere of the cathedral, he could still hear their voices, calling out to him to avenge them. He thought that he could hear the sound of someone’s footsteps at the corner of the cathedral, but he was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to care about it. Even if it was a threat to him, he could easily dispose of it just as a beast would do to its prey.

* * *

For the next few days, Dimitri remained out of public sight. Rumours soon spread that there was a beast lurking in the shadows of the church, said to kill anyone who dared to defy the church and the goddess. Rhea, Seteth, Gilbert and other higher ranking church officials tried to keep the prince’s presence away from public knowledge, fearing that if information were to leak, the church would be in danger. Moreover, despite Gilbert’s effort trying to convince the prince, Dimitri remained isolated from them.

Felix sat on his bed staring into the space before him, the book he previously picked up to read left abandoned next to him. There was a knock on the door and a young man entered with his tray of food. “Felix, I have brought your meal.”

“Oh, thanks for bringing it here, Ashe.” Felix snapped out of his thoughts and acknowledged Ashe’s presence. Ashe stepped in and placed the tray on his desk.

“Is something worrying you? You seem lost in thought.” Felix gave the young man credit for his keen sense of observation. He was quite a sincere man when it came to his duty.

Felix sighed and placed the book on the nightstand next to his table. “I have been hearing a rumour about a beast wandering around the church.”

“You mean about the beast? I haven’t heard much about it but sometimes I do catch sight of a figure lurking around during night time.” Ashe said. “Speaking of the beast, I overheard a conversation between Gilbert and Rodrigue regarding it. They said that it is actually a person, a prince to be more specific. Can that be true?”

“You can only decide what to believe if you see the truth yourself.” Felix said. “Mind I ask if there were any leftovers from tonight’s dinner?”

“I’m afraid that the knights gobbled down the meat and vegetables, but there is some soup left if I remember correctly.” Ashe replied, darting an eye to the tray of food waiting to be devoured. “It’s rare for you to ask for seconds, you haven’t even touched your platter yet.”

“It’s none of your business.” Felix cut him off. “I hate to see food being wasted. I will take in whatever leftovers the kitchen has to offer.”

“W-Well, if you insist…”

* * *

Night fell on Morfis Island and silence once again greeted the cathedral. Dimitri stood before the altar and set his empty gaze on the cathedral walls. His ears picked up someone’s footsteps again; it must have been the same person who had been watching him every night.

“You have a habit of spying on people, don’t you?” He called out. “You had better show yourself now if you don’t want to lose your head.”

“I could’ve shot you dead if I had a bow,” the person retorted back. “You’ve been spending all your time hiding in the darkness, just what happened to the dignified prince I remember?” Felix stepped out from the shadows, bringing with him a tray of leftover food. “And here I troubled myself to bring you some food, the least you can do is thank me instead of killing me.”

Dimitri let out a gasp when his vision adjusted to the lighting to see the person clearly. “Y-You… It can’t be…”

“What do you want?” Felix scowled back, suddenly feeling self-conscious. He placed the tray of food on a nearby bench. “You better eat, the food has gone cold already.”

“Felix, it is you, right?” Dimitri grabbed hold of his arm, turning Felix around so that they could see face-to-face. “I… I never thought I would see you again… I suffered so much, and now…”

Felix swiped his hand away and Dimitri let him go, being gentler than the usual beast he had become. “I know what you want to say and I will repeat the same answer. No, I will not be following you. I will not let you use me in your quest for blood.”

Dimitri was silent for a moment. “I expected that reaction from you.” He looked at his palm. “I am nothing but a beast, a beast craving for blood. Maybe you’re right after all, I am just a boar…”

“Of course you are.” Felix snapped back. “You’re just going to get yourself killed if the only thing you think about is revenge.” His amber eyes scanned the man before him. He had changed a lot since the last time he had seen him: his hair was a mess, one of the blue eyes he missed so much was lost and the remaining eye was void of any attachment to reality. The way he acted suggested to Felix that the prince was dead, replaced by a beast who wore the prince's skin. “I was a fool.” He said, before he turned away, intending to leave the cathedral.

“Wait!” Dimitri called out, grabbing his hand again to stop him. “I… I know I have changed… B-But can you at least stay with me, just tonight?”

“In your dreams!” Felix lashed back, pulling his hand away from his grasp. Dimitri noticed Felix’s face coloured slightly. “I… I need to go… It’s late already and there is work to be done tomorrow.”

_ Just like last time _ , Dimitri thought. He wanted to call out for Felix, to hold him in his embrace and never let him go. He wanted to relish the sweet memories of holding Felix in bed, his voice lulling him and chasing away his nightmares. He had always felt a sense of security with Felix by his side, like an anchor to his sanity to keep him in place.

Seeing the disappointed look on Dimitri’s face, Felix seemed to soften a little as he gave Dimitri a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, but I cannot stay.” He murmured before planting a light kiss on his forehead. “Perhaps tomorrow night, we can bond over sparring…”

Before he could finish his sentence, the two of them heard footsteps coming from outside of the cathedral. A man with the same dark blue hair as Felix, but older in appearance stepped into the hall. “So this is where you are, Felix. Please don’t go running around the church grounds at night.”

A scowl quickly formed on Felix’s face. “What are you doing here, old man? It’s late already and it’s not like you have any shifts tonight.”

“I could’ve said the same for you.” Rodrigue joked back. “I have been noticing that you’ve been sneaking out of your room at night. I suppose you were watching over His Highness.”

“So, you’re Felix’s father. How should I address you?” Dimitri asked.

Rodrigue raised an eyebrow but maintained a neutral expression. “You may call me Rodrigue, Your Highness. Gilbert told me much about you and I am glad to see that you are alright. That, at least, is something reassuring.”

“I am no longer a prince. The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus was dead the moment the prince died.” Dimitri said. “The only thing I want now is to behead the traitors and appease the dead.”

“No, Dimitri, all of us believe in you.” Rodrigue insisted. “You are the hope of the people of Faerghus. As long as you are alive, everyone will be there to support you. Therefore, you need to stand up so that you can fight alongside the people and save the kingdom.”

“You seem to place a lot of faith in the boar, old man.” Felix grumbled.

“It is true that we still have little understanding of the situation in Faerghus, but when the time comes for us to attack, the Knights of Aegle will spare no effort to help you. We are at your command… Our only wish is for you to bring us victory and justice.”

Dimitri shot a glare at Rodrigue. He seemed to question how true his words were. He would have asked the archbishop to immediately give him military support so that he could storm his way back to Fhirdiad and hang the heads of the traitors. He was about to retort back but he suddenly felt a burning sensation on his right palm. The pain was so excruciating as if it was going to burn a hole through his hand.

“What’s wrong?” Rodrigue asked, noticing the distress marked on the prince’s face. Felix also watched him with concern.

“Hrg… It hurts…” Dimitri grumbled as he removed his gauntlets and gloves, revealing a mark that began to embed on the back of his palm.

Both Rodrigue and Felix’s eyes went wide at the discovery. “Th-This thing… Quick, we must take you to see the archbishop immediately!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there's the Mark of Flames! What could this be meaning?  
> Feel free to leave a comment and tell me what are your thoughts.  
> Artwork is done by [cobaltcandi](https://twitter.com/cobaltcandi?lang=en). She did a really great job in bringing out the artwork details and I really appreciate the amazing work she put her effort on.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri is determined to wield his newfound power but the Archbishop decide otherwise. Meanwhile, Felix struggled on taming the beast rampaging with bloodlust while trying to keep himself at a distance.

“Is this the prophecy you have been talking about?” Seteth questioned. “Surely there is no sorcery at play?”

“Everything has happened according to the prophecy.” Rhea said, noting the mark on his hand. “The mark is proof that he will be the hero who will save the world from destruction. However, I am afraid he may not be ready.”

“Um… Lady Rhea, are you saying that this is something similar to what happened thousands of years ago?” Flayn asked nervously.

“Indeed… If he uses his power for good, he will be able to save Fodlan from the darkness it is in.” Rhea said. “But wielding this power is no easy feat — if he cannot control the flame of his power, then he himself will succumb to the darkness and destroy the balance of this world.”

“I understand what you’re trying to say.” Seteth nodded. “But with his state of mind like this, he is not ready to wield the power. What do you plan on doing?”

* * *

“Is there really no way to go against it?” Felix asked, running a hand through his hair.

“Everything is just as the archbishop prophesied, great changes are on the horizon, and the prince will be the one to recreate history.” Rodrigue informed him. “The future… is on his shoulders.”

“Could it be that all of this was planned from the very start?” Ashe asked. “It seems like the archbishop knew everything from the start.”

“I hear that she wished to recover a relic that was hidden in the shrine near Zanado. But Lady Rhea had said he was not ready for the mission yet. She will see to it that he is mentally prepared for the time to come.” Gilbert added on. “It looks like he will be spending more time here having to hone his skills.”

“I agree with the archbishop.” Rodrigue nodded. “With the state of mind he is in, he is not ready to face the challenge ahead of him. If only he could try to understand the situation at hand…”

Felix was silent during the entire conversation. All of them were focusing on Dimitri’s trial or his mental health, but they did not seem to care that the archbishop was planning on sending Dimitri to his death. He had to agree that Dimitri was not ready with how he currently was, but all that talk about training seemed to only delay the inevitable. Even though the prince was strong and had experience in combat, he was no match to the numerous beasts that roamed the mountains. There were sayings that no one had ever survived the expedition at Zanado. He could not bear to let the prince march to his death — it would only mean that he had failed in his task to protect the prince.

* * *

When Dimitri regained consciousness, the first thing he saw was the archbishop watching over him. “I see that you’re awake. Are you feeling better?” She managed a small smile at him.

“What… What just happened?” Dimitri groaned as he sat up. His body seemed perfectly fine and there was no wound, save for the few scars from the past battles. And finally, he noticed the mark on his palm, like a tattoo that was imprinted on his skin, though the pain had subsided.

“You just received a divine revelation from the goddess, or part of it.” Rhea calmly told him as she served him some water. “That mark on your hand is a message from the goddess. It is a prophecy that you will be the hero who will lead Fodlan to a better future.”

“A hero, you said.” Dimitri muttered, scanning the mark on his hand. “So the goddess has finally bestowed upon me the power to bring justice. I will kill those who made my father, stepmother and Dedue suffer, may we bring justice for those who have died.”

“Calm yourself, Your Highness.” Rhea said. “It is true that the goddess has bestowed you with strength and power, but that does not mean that you are allowed to use your power as you wish. If you use your power wrongly, it will cost not only your life but the entire world itself.”

“I don’t care!” Dimitri objected. “I will see to it that those traitors receive their punishment. They are the ones who caused trouble within the continent. I will do anything to stop them even if it means fighting to the death. The world is already at the brink of collapse, does it matter who the one destroying it is?!”

“I understand your sentiment and the hardships you have been through, I know your life has not been an easy one. And I know that what those people did to you was wrong, but what is the worth of you throwing away your life just for the sake of revenge?” Rhea consoled him. “The power of the goddess is beyond the ability of a human being. You must get yourself accustomed to it and make good use of it. If you fail to gain control of your power, you might as well accomplish nothing.”

“So, what do you want me to do?” Dimitri asked, crossing his arms across his chest and glaring at her. “Are you saying that I should hone my power?”

“It is essential that I test your ability to gauge how well you are able to handle your new power. At the same time, you must train to hone your skills and control your own power.” Rhea explained. “I will be assigning missions to you in a timely manner to evaluate your skills before deciding on sending you for the grand trial. In the meantime, please get proper rest and try not to stress yourself.”

“If you insist, I will comply! I hope you don’t disappoint me.” He said before he took his leave, ignoring the concerned look on the archbishop’s face.

* * *

It was already late on Morfis Island, and everyone had retreated back to their room to call it a night. He walked down the dark corridors, dim candlelight giving a bit of lighting for him to walk. He considered heading back to the cathedral to wallow in his grief. He changed his mind, however, when he passed by the training hall, overhearing someone who was busy practicing inside. For someone to work so hard late into the night, this person must have been very dedicated with his training.

Pushing open the door into the training hall, a lone figure was standing in the middle of the ground practicing his swordplay. He recognized the man’s swift movement and graceful footwork — it reminded him of when he first saw the man fight on the battlefield. He watched on as Felix steadied his footing, balancing the weight of the blade in his hand before he swung it, cleanly slashing a piece of log in half. He stopped for a moment to catch his breath.

“It’s late already, you should go back to bed,” he said, without turning to face Dimitri. “If you’re here to train, I won’t disturb you, but if you don’t plan on doing so, then please leave.”

“Your skill with the sword is amazing.” Dimitri managed to say. “Even though I have been trained with it, I’ve never been skilled at it.”

“Enough with the flattery.” Felix turned to face him with a scowl. He sheathed his sword and stowed it away. “I can’t stand the sight of you standing in the same room with me. You’re supposed to be spending your time dealing with your regrets at the cathedral right now..”

“… It’s peaceful tonight…” Dimitri said, looking around for a bit. “It seems to be giving me some sense of clarity.”

“You’ve been sleeping the entire day. Everyone was worried that you were not going to wake up.” Felix snorted. “But don’t you think that everyone is going to treat you with compassion. We are not throwing our lives away just to quench your thirst for blood, remember that.”

“Does it matter whether I live or die?” Dimitri muttered. “There’s nothing left for me. If I were to die anyway, I might as well drag my enemies down with me. That’s what everyone wants.”

“Stop that, you’re going to get yourself killed before you can even have your enemies’ heads!” Felix yelled back. Dimitri did not respond to him, deep in thought. The shorter man sighed before he picked up a wooden lance. “Spar with me, would you?” He asked as he passed the lance to him.

“I don’t know if I should be doing this…”

“Shut up! You’ve come all the way here, don’t tell me you came here just to talk to your ghosts or something.”

Wooden weapons clashed as the two of them engaged in a duel. The two of them were not holding back from unleashing their strength. Felix’s light footwork allowed him to deal swift strikes at his opponent, but Dimitri’s footwork was solid and enabled him to hold his ground. The two of them exchanged blows while parrying and avoiding each other as they fought across the duelling ground.

“Not bad huh?” Felix said when they finally stopped. “I was worried that you were getting sloppy with that bloodlust of yours.” He panted a bit to regain his breath.

“Your footwork and skill with the blade is impressive.” Dimitri said. The training lance was almost broken in half by his tight grip. “Just like last time when you fought.”

Felix frowned a bit, placing the wooden sword back onto the rack. “I fight to grow stronger, that’s only natural,” he said. “In a dire situation like this, only the strongest survive. I bet that's the same reason you kill, right?”

“I would do anything to get my revenge.” Dimitri growled. “Even if it means carving a bloody path, it is what I need to do to appease the dead.”

“Is it so important to appease the dead?” Felix questioned. “Surely there is more purpose to life than revenge.”

“They caused so much suffering for everyone.” Dimitri almost yelled back. “All those who died suffered so much agony. It is my duty to see that they are put to rest and eradicate those who did this.”

Felix scowled. He would’ve yelled back at him saying  _ you’re just going to get yourself killed if you let your mind be clouded _ , but he held his tongue and decided that there was no point in drumming those thoughts into the beast’s mind, not when he was in such a state. “Do whatever you wish, as if I care about you.” Felix spat at him before he stood up and prepared to leave. Dimitri didn’t even care when he left the training hall, too occupied with his thoughts. On his way back to his room, he encountered Lysithea. The girl had actually come to Morfis Island on the same boat with Gilbert and Dimitri, though with what intentions he did not know but he did notice that she would visit the library and Professor Hanneman, probably to pursue her studies on magic.

“Felix, why are you still up at this hour?” Lysithea asked the moment she saw him. “I thought you were a ghost a moment ago.” He remembered that she had a phobia of ghosts.

“I could ask the same of you.” Felix said. “I just finished with my training and was about to return back to my room. Shall I accompany you back to your room?”

“U-Uh, there’s no need for that.” She replied. “I just had trouble sleeping so I decided to take a walk.”

“If you insist. I’m going back to my room. Don’t stay up too late.” He told her before he returned back to his room.

* * *

On Dimitri’s first mission, Rhea sent him to take care of some bandits who had stolen some important artifacts from the church. The mission was a simple one but Gilbert reported that Dimitri went so wild from his bloodlust that he slaughtered the entire group of bandits with such brutality that he left the field stained with their blood.

Later that night Ashe filled him in about what had happened during the mission. He noted that Dimitri showed no remorse in killing the bandits and even enjoyed torturing them. Gilbert managed to somehow stop his rampage but the battlefield was still a gruesome sight.

“It’s unnerving to see him behave like this.” Ashe said. “He never spoke to anyone throughout the mission. I know that he has been through quite a hard time but to act like this on the battlefield — it’s like he was no different from those merciless assassins.”

“What would you expect? He’s a beast after all,” Felix muttered. “If only my father or Gilbert could drum some sense into him, but I guess it’s impossible with the state of mind he’s in right now.”

“Do you believe in what Lady Rhea said about him? She said that he’s destined to be a hero of some sort. Can that really be true?”

“I doubt it.” Felix rolled his eyes. “Rhea means to test him. If he is to succeed, then he needs to free himself from the chains of hatred, to be clear on what lies ahead of him.”

“…You seem concerned about him.” Ashe finally said after a moment of silence. “It’s like you understand him.”

“E-Everyone can tell that he is out of his mind!” Felix snapped back. “It’s only a matter of time we join that mad beast in a parade to our deaths.”

* * *

Night time came again in the church and Felix resumed his usual routine: checking on the boar. His father and Gilbert had tried all sorts of methods to convince him to snap out of it but Dimitri remained locked up in his realm, indulging in the ghosts of the deceased.

When he arrived at the cathedral, he was surprised not to see the familiar blue black fur cloak Dimitri wore. He frowned; the beast usually avoided crowds and only came out at night, the cathedral being the place where the beast would seek refuge during the night.

“Boar, are you there?” He called out, looking around every shadow of the cathedral to see if he could catch sight of the beast lurking within. He walked out from the main hall of the cathedral through a side door, spotting the man standing by the railings. The man seemed undaunted by the cold wind as his gaze was lost in the faraway sky. Felix couldn’t tell what was on his mind.

“Hey, what are you doing out here?” He called out, noting the bloodstains on his armour and cloak. The boar had refused to change his attire ever since he had arrived at Morfis Island, as if he was refusing to let go of the deaths that occured. He reached out to touch his arm, earning a flinch from the taller man.

“Leave me alone!” Dimitri snarled back at him. His void blue eyes gave off a deathly glare.

“Shut up, can’t you see that you’re injured? You need to get those wounds treated or there’ll be an infection!” Felix argued back.

“It doesn’t matter to me.” Dimitri growled. “More blood is going to stain my hands soon, it’s just a waste to wash it off.”

“No, you NEED to clean that off now!” Felix insisted, grabbing hold of his arm. “You’re going to get yourself killed with that infection!”

“Don’t waste your effort on me!” Dimitri snapped back. He swung his arm a bit too hard, which sent Felix stumbling onto the balustrade. The shorter man winced at the impact; a spasm of pain contorted his face as he struggled to regain his footing.

Dimitri held out his hand to Felix, a pang of guilt painted on his features even though he was avoiding eye contact with Felix. Felix could tell that he probably didn’t mean to do it, but the fact that Dimitri shoved him aside with such force irked him somehow. He ignored the hand stretched out to him and found the will to stand up himself.

“Are you…”  _ I’m sorry, are you alright? _ That was what Dimitri wished to say, but Felix cut him off before he could finish his sentence.

“Perhaps I shouldn’t help you at all.” Felix muttered bitterly. “Don’t you try to pretend that you’re sorry! A beast knows no such thing as kindness. I shouldn’t have come to help you after all.”

“No wait, please don’t go!” Dimitri pled, grabbing hold of his arm, earning a wince from Felix. “I… I appreciate that you’re willing to help me. Please stay with me a little while longer.”

Felix frowned, he wanted to wrench his arm away from the beast’s grip and tell him to leave, but for once he saw something within the prince’s single blue eye. Was it guilt? Or was it loneliness? He couldn’t tell, but it lacked the usual emptiness he had seen in the past few days. He heaved a sigh before he conceded to the beast’s will. “Fine, but just for a while.”

Dimitri allowed Felix to undo his gloves and gauntlets to inspect his wounds. The prince’s arms and back were marked with cuts and bruises, but no serious injuries. The old scars were a reminder of the boar’s fair share of battles, the number of lives he claimed that turned him to who he was now. Felix traced the fresh wounds Dimitri sustained from today’s mission. He hovered his hand over the wounds as he silently muttered a healing spell to stop the bleeding and close the wounds.

“I keep hearing their voices.” Dimitri muttered. “They keep calling out to me to spill more blood, to bring them justice…” Hollow eyes gazed at his palms, as if the blood stain was still there as a haunting reminder. “Those people we killed today… I could still hear their voices even after they had stopped moving.”

“Don’t say such things.” Felix said, bringing a hand to his jaw to silence him. “You are just doing what you think is right. It… It isn’t your fault that all this is happening.”

“How can you say that?” Dimitri retorted, struggling against his grasp. “They have caused suffering to the people. They must be stopped or more people will suffer.”

“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.” Felix argued back, trying to keep Dimitri calm, cursing when the wounds reopened. “You don’t have to shoulder all the burden yourself. No one is asking you to do so.”

“But nobody can stop them, I am the only one who can do this!” Dimitri insisted. “Even now I can still hear their voices, calling on me to avenge them.”

Felix closed up the wounds on Dimitri’s palm. All that was left was a faint scar, just enough healing to prevent an infection. “Listen Dimitri, the fight is over already. There’s no use wallowing on their deaths. You don’t have to listen to all those voices.”

“But they are in agony, how can I silence their pleas when they’re suffering?” Dimitri broke down a little. “I-If only… If only I could just stop hearing their voices, surely no one has to die.”

Felix just listened to his ramblings, how his mood shifted from anger to despair. He had heard about the prince’s bloodthirsty behaviour when it came to battles. But then again, he wasn’t a particularly chatty type of person, like hell he was going to talk some sense into the prince’s mind. He would’ve just left him alone and let him wallow in his pathetic grief, but for some reason he found himself unable to do so.

“You need to rest,” he finally said after a moment of silence. “You must have had a hard day today, you at least deserve to give yourself some rest.”

“I can’t. If I sleep, they will…” Dimitri protested but Felix nudged him to lay down. For some reason, he did not fight back as he let the shorter man lay him on the floor of the cathedral, unclasping his cloak in the process.

“You can hold on to my hand and listen to my voice instead.” Felix said. “I will be by your side until you wake up.”

This time Dimitri didn’t protest at the invitation to sleep, as fatigue claimed him and pulled him to sleep. He had lost count of the days he had not caught a wink of sleep. He was afraid of hearing voices of agony and revisiting the images of his loved ones’ deaths. But with Felix by his side whispering sweet nothings to him, it helped keep those nightmares at bay, and reminded him of days long gone. Somebody who used to stay by his side, and was always there to help him whenever he was in trouble. It felt so familiar, yet so far away…

Felix laid Dimitri on his lap, using his cloak to cover the prince’s body to keep him warm from the chill of Morfis Island. He managed to force a small smile as he gently stroked the prince’s blonde locks while muttering an incantation to make him fall asleep. Once Dimitri fell into a deep slumber, his breathing evened out and his shoulders relaxed their tension. Felix reached out to trace his face, lingering slightly on the eyepatch that masked his injured eye.

_ This man is a beast, your prince died long ago. _ Part of his mind screamed at him to just leave the boar to his own fate, to not get dragged into this mess. At the same time, there was fear clawing in his chest, reminding him that fate would not be kind to them, of the limited time they had to spend together.

“Forgive me, Dimitri…” He muttered, wrapping his arms around the sleeping prince’s neck. “If only I was stronger… You wouldn't have to suffer so much…”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A serial kidnapper was at loose in Morfis Island. Dimitri decided to go bandit hunting and Felix tagged along, of course things never go on well when the beast was on the loose. When one matter is settled, it was only the beginning of more trouble.

“Rhea, don’t you think we must investigate the bandits appearing near the church?” Seteth questioned Rhea. “I am not saying that I’m questioning the church’s security, but I am worried that there may be enemies hidden within the church.”

“I assured you, Seteth. Everything is fine. The bandits have been taken care of and we managed to recover the church’s artifacts; all is well.” Rhea said.

“You don’t understand. The artifacts are supposed to be kept in a crypt beneath the church. Only church officials of high authority are allowed to enter there; there’s no way that lowly people like bandits could have entered that area.” Seteth argued back. “Don’t you find the matter suspicious? It’s possible that one of the church officials is working behind our backs.”

“I assured you, everything will be fine, Seteth,” Rhea convinced him. “I have placed new security measures in the crypt to ensure that no outsiders can enter. For now, there are other things we need to focus on at hand.”

“I won’t press the matter with you, but we must not let the people know too much about the church or it will endanger us.”

* * *

Felix walked down the corridor heading to the library with a book in his hand. Professor Hanneman had introduced him to this book about magic and other things. He would’ve preferred to focus more on his training and hand-to-hand combat, which he considered more intensive and exciting compared to dull and boring magic lessons. He had just picked up learning it to pass the time, since he couldn’t keep himself occupied with combat training the whole day.

The Church of Aegle’s library contained many rare historical records and ancient tomes that dated back to the founding days of Fodlan. Lysithea and Linhardt had mentioned that the collection here was far larger than the library collection in Garreg Mach Monastery and there were many secrets that were being kept away from the world.

“Hey Felix, did you come to study again?” Lysithea greeted him when she saw him enter the library.

“I just came to return a book, that’s all.” Felix said. “I admit that I’m not that fond of learning magic, but this seems like an interesting one.”

“Hey, I’ve been looking for that book. It’s a rare tome with records about rare magic.” Lysithea said, noticing the book in his hand.

“You can have it then. I just finished reading it after all.”

“You have my thanks.” Her eyes lit up as she accepted the book from him. “I’m curious though. You’ve never had any interest in studying magic, why would you pick up learning it all of a sudden?”

“I would’ve preferred to spend time at the training grounds but it’s not like I can do that the entire day. You could say that I’m learning it to pass the time.”

“But isn’t that good for you? Learning new things can actually help improve your skills in battle.”

“I agreed that it’s not bad learning new things. The library here offers so many rare tomes and books that can’t be found in other places. I’ve literally spent all day looking over the books.”

“Enthusiastic, aren’t you?” Felix quirked a brow. “Is there a reason you came to Morfis Island?”

“W-Well… I came here to study more about sorcery, it’s always been what I’m interested in.” Lysithea replied. “Morfis Island is renowned for its magic and illusions. I was hoping that maybe I could find some answers about crests.”

“Crests, you say? I can imagine what Professor Hanneman and Linhardt would say.” Felix rolled his eyes at the thought. Not that he was close to them, but they had an obsession on crestology and would spend hours researching about it. He knew that Linhardt was incredibly smart, but he usually preferred not to engage in activity that is not his interest. Hanneman on the other hand was a minor noble of the empire and it is said that he gave up his nobility to be a researcher.

“Don’t you put me in the same category as the two of them!” Lysithea retorted. “I’m interested in crests, but I have no intentions of acquiring their power. Professor Hanneman in particular has been pestering me about learning more about my crest, but I’m not giving in to him.”

“So what did they talk to you about?”

“Just recently I heard that Dimitri acquired a mark on his hand, is it true?” Lysithea looked to Felix for an answer and Felix just gave a nod in response. “Yesterday Professor Hanneman identified the mark as very similar to the Crest of Flames, which is said to have vanished in history.”

“The Crest of Flames, you say?”

“Professor Hanneman’s deduction about the marking is true, but it doesn’t seem like Dimitri bears the Crest of Flames itself,” someone piped up. The two of them turned to see a man with long green hair with an impassive expression. “Isn’t it strange? Usually a crest manifests in a person’s body during infancy. Dimitri does not have the crest, just a mark. What could this mean?”

“Linhardt, don’t you dare eavesdrop on our conversation!” Lysithea frowned and shook her head in disapproval. “You should at least introduce yourself first before you speak up.”

“I just can’t help it. I get interested whenever someone talks about crests.” He shook his head. “It’s said that the Crest of Flames is passed down by the Goddess herself. The person who inherits the Crest of Flames is said to have power equivalent to a god.”

“But didn’t Professor Hanneman mention that the last person to possess the Crest of Flames was Nemesis, the King of Liberation?” Lysithea asked. “It is said that he possessed power far superior to other crest bearers but his power eventually corrupted him and Saint Seiros killed him to put an end to the atrocities he had committed.”

“That’s the point of the question. Nemesis didn’t have any descendents, but could the mark on Dimitri’s hand mean something is about to happen?” Linhardt thought again. “But then again, the royal family of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus passed down the Crest of Blaiddyd. It’s not possible to get a second crest — or could it be possible?”

His question was met with silence from the other two library occupants. Both Felix and Lysithea seemed deep in thought.

“Whatever the outcome is, I feel that things are going to turn out interesting.” The green hair man smirked slightly. “I am going to follow the prince in his so-called mission if I get to see his crest and the mark in action.”

“Don’t get too carried away.” Felix reminded him. “That man is a beast to the core. If you get in his way, he could tear you apart.”

“Enough Linhardt, can’t you bring up some topic that isn't related to crests?” Lysithea said, crossing her arms before her chest. Felix decided to just leave their conversation, having no interest in their talk about research. He reached out to fish a book from one of the shelves before he left the library. This book should be enough to keep him occupied for the day for the time being.

* * *

Dimitri wandered down the halls in the shadows. He usually avoided walking around during the daytime to keep himself away from anyone’s attention. But he felt less agitated than usual today, the voices of the dead were barely a whisper to him. It must have been the good night’s sleep he had last night. He couldn't even remember the last time he had had such a peaceful slumber.

He walked out of the main building, the sunlight almost blinding him. His skin burned at the contact of the unfamiliar heat of Morfis Island. He figured that he should change his clothes for something light instead. He avoided walking into crowded areas, opting to hide in the shadows instead. He descended down a flight of stairs until he found himself in the stables.

He eased up a bit at the sight of the horses that were lazing around in the stable. There weren’t many people in this area as most of the knights had left for their round of patrol. Only two people were at the stable tending to the horses, one of them is Ashe and a young lady with blue braided hair he had not met before.

“You’re amazing, Marianne,” Ashe complimented. “Gaoth has not been feeling well recently, even the medics can’t tell what’s wrong with him. But it’s thanks to you that he is feeling better now.”

“I am just fond of animals, that’s all.” The girl known as Marianne shook her head shyly. “I usually feel more comfortable being around them.”

“You’re pretty amazing at handling animals… Ah, Y-Your Highness?” Ashe stopped his work and gave a clumsy bow towards him. “Is there anything you need?”

“I just came out for some fresh air,” Dimitri said, trying to avoid eye contact with them.

“I am glad you finally came out.” Ashe beamed. “You’ve been avoiding people for the past few weeks. I worried that you were going to keep yourself holed up.”

“Does it matter what I do?” The prince gave them a piercing glare. “I am merely a walking corpse who feeds on killing the unjust.”

“D-Do you have to go so far?” Marianne questioned. “E-Everyone needs you… I-If something happened to you, e-everyone would be sad…”

“Everyone tells me the same thing.” Dimitri snarled at them. “That’s wrong. I am as good as dead. The only reason I am breathing is because there are things that must be done before I join the ranks of the dead.”

“Y-Your Highness, if I may point out… Shouldn’t you be focusing on the matter at hand instead of the past?” Ashe tried to persuade. “I know that you’ve had a rough time, b-but we are here for you. Y-You don’t have to take everything on yourself.”

“You guys are willing to help me? Hmph, fair enough.” Dimitri let out a devilish cackle. “You may do whatever you wish, but don’t you get in the way of my goals, or you know what will happen…” He said before he turned away.

“He has been like this since the first time I saw him. Is there no other way to help him?”

“I-I… I don’t know…” Marianne sighed. “I am so useless in dealing with such things… At least he has a reason to live, unlike me…”

* * *

Dimitri could barely remember where he went after facing those two. He kept wandering aimlessly in the shadows of the church, keeping an eye on the people’s activities and people coming and going. When he found himself standing in front of the door to the training ground, dusk had already devoured the daylight. Yet he could still hear the sounds of people training inside.

Pushing the door open, he saw Ashe practicing sparring with another knight. The knight was probably a few years older than Ashe, but what struck him was his dark blue hair tied in a ponytail, very similar to Felix. Ashe continued with his attack of parrying and thrusting his lance but he seemed to pale in comparison against his opponent who dodged his attack with grace. The moment when Ashe swung his lance too wide gave him an opportunity as he delivered a swing that knocked Ashe off his footing and the younger man ended up falling onto the ground.

“H-Huh… Looks like you win again, I expected no less from a Fraldarius.” Ashe panted as he allowed the older man to help him up. “Looks like I have to train harder.”

“You’re already improving, Ashe. Put effort into your training and studies and you will definitely excel as a knight.”

“I must say though, that skill you used just now is impressive. I haven’t seen it before. Did you learn it from somewhere?”

“Oh, I actually learned that skill from Jeritza.”

“Jeritza, that mysterious man in a mask?” Felix piped up in the conversation, stopping his work polishing his blade.

“C’mon Felix, I know he can be a bit anti-social but he is a great sparring mentor. You would love training with him.” The older Fraldarius said.

“If my condition allowed me, I would’ve practiced day and night.” Felix grumbled, placing the sword aside. “It’s been a long time since I last sparred with you, Arden.”

“Speaking of training, it looks like someone has come to join us.” Arden said, directing his gaze towards where Dimitri was standing. He turned around and bowed slightly. Ashe followed before addressing him, “Good evening, Your Highness. Did you come here to spar?”

“I just happened to drop by…” Dimitri said.

“Shut up, boar. Don’t you have anything else to do?” Felix scowled at him. “I bet you’re busy talking to some voices in your head at this hour.”

“My uncle and Felix have been talking about you a lot. I’m just glad to see that you’re doing all right.” Arden said in a too casual manner. “Please don’t take Felix’s words to heart. My cousin has a way with his tongue.”

“Shut up, Arden!” Felix snapped back. “Don’t you speak as if you know him better than me!”

“I didn’t say I know him better.” Arden smirked at him before he turned back to Dimitri. “Felix has been constantly watching over you. He may not show it, but he was worried about you. You should at least appreciate his concern.”

“Foolish…” Dimitri muttered, crossing his arms across his chest. “I don’t remember asking for any help.”

“Shut up, you stupid boar!” Felix bit back. “Do you prefer that I leave you all by yourself and let you get yourself killed? I won’t allow it!”

“He has a point, Your Highness.” Ashe, who had remained quiet throughout the conversation, finally spoke up. “All of us agreed to fight for your cause because we believe in you. We would gladly fight at your side and put an end to the atrocities.”

“Then stop idling already. You all agreed to help me but nothing has been done until now. And yet, you all live on as if you don’t care about anything at all.”

The other three men remained silent, until Felix spoke up. “Then let’s do something meaningful, shall we?” He said before he asked his cousin to hand him the training lance. “This is a battlefield we are marching into after all. You should maintain your training so that you can win a battle.” He accepted the lance from Arden before handing it to Dimitri. Dimitri stared at the lance for a moment before he accepted it.

“Fight with me. Show me how you gut those enemies.” Felix said, preparing his fighting stance.

Ashe and Arden stood aside as they watched the two of them engaged in their duel. Neither of them spoke; the only sound in the arena was the sound of weapons clashing and the occasional scraping sound of heels on the ground.

“Don’t stay up too late, you two.” Arden called out to them amidst the sound. “Uncle has informed me that there have been cases of people going missing in the middle of the night. We don’t want anything to happen to you.” But the two of them were so absorbed in their duel that they barely listened to what he was saying. Arden just smiled at the sight before him and led Ashe out of the hall.

* * *

Two weeks passed with little fanfare, but the Knights of Aegle were busier than usual. Felix spent his days with the same routine, reading and sparring whenever he had the time. At night, he would wander around the church grounds, sometimes in the training ground, sometimes in the cathedral and occasionally, the garden. He barely saw his father even within the church grounds. Despite that, Felix would hate himself if he said he didn't care about his old man. Even though the two of them never agreed much on each other’s ideals, his father was the only family member he had.

His uncle and cousin had told him that his father was away leading the Knights of Aegle. Apparently, there was a serial kidnapper on loose in the town and the number of missing people wasn’t showing any signs of decreasing. The knights had doubled their patrols and efforts in search for the missing but there were few leads.

Then, Seteth’s younger sister, Flayn, soon went missing and Seteth was beside himself with worry. Though many rumours pointed towards the serial kidnapper, the knights had their hands full with town security. Archbishop Rhea instead asked the church occupants to help search for Flayn’s whereabouts in the church grounds.

Panic set in the church and its followers when news spread that Flayn had vanished without any trace. People were worried about their safety, in particular about the fact that a serial kidnapper was now running amok in the city.

Felix did not particularly care about Flayn’s wellbeing or her disappearance, but he felt like helping people out of obligation. His father and uncle went out on patrol with the knights more often. Ashe and his cousin would pester him about whether he had seen Flayn or not, Marianne was seen praying more often in hopes of Flayn’s safe return. Lysithea and Linhardt didn’t speak much, but he could tell through their expressions that both of them were worried about the things at hand.

Then there was the boar, who didn’t seem to care about anything at all. The boar, who was now wearing the prince’s skin and roaming the church grounds as if he was a beast, the boar who spent his time lamenting to his ghosts. Felix had half a mind to find him, considering the dire situation they were at in the moment. Still, he found himself watching over the boar whenever he walked past the cathedral at night. He would stop by and ask him how he was doing or if he had heard anything about Flayn and the boar would respond to him with some incoherent grunts and growls.

Three days after Flayn’s disappearance, he overheard Lysithea and Linhardt talking about a secret passage in the library, which was said to connect to the outside world. Although it was not uncommon for the church to have secret passages on its grounds, that itself was more than enough to raise suspicions. It was possible for the culprit to use the passage to commit heinous deeds without the people on the surface knowing it. He confronted Lysithea about the matter but she dismissed it as just a rumour since no one had actually seen it and said that Linhardt brought it up to scare her about ghosts.

There were other matters that caught his attention as well. As of late, Jeritza seemed to be acting off, Felix noted. He swung his weapon too hard when watching the man training at night. He even broke his training lance and dummy by applying too much force. Moreover, the man seemed to stay away more often now, almost as if he vanished.

* * *

A week after Flayn’s disappearance, Felix headed towards the cathedral to watch over the boar like he usually did. “How long have you spent talking to your ghosts? Don’t you have better things to do instead?” The boar turned around sharply and greeted him with a growl akin to a beast.

“Complain all you want, but I wouldn’t be spending my time wallowing in my own grief if I were you.” Felix retorted back. “There are other things to worry about rather than whatever happened in the past. We could use some help in searching for Flayn.”

“Everyone keeps talking about a serial kidnapper roaming around the church but they can’t even locate this person.” Maybe he was wrong about the boar doing nothing. “Such a lowly being cannot be allowed to continue living in this world. It’s time we teach them the error of their ways.” He walked away from the altar, walking deeper into the cathedral.

“Hey, where are you going?” Felix asked, chasing after him.

“Can’t you smell them? There are rats hiding beneath the church. This place is not as secure as you may think.” He reached out to grab a bloodied lance resting at one corner. “I’m off to hunt them. If you’re not coming then stay where you are.”

“No, I’m coming with you.” Felix insisted. He was glad that he had the habit of bringing his sword with him wherever he went, even if his outing seemed harmless. And now the boar was going to get himself injured because he was off hunting some bandits.

* * *

There was a hidden passage behind the cathedral that led to an underground dungeon beneath the church. Felix had ventured into the dungeon briefly in the past but he hadn’t gone further to explore it. Dimitri led the way into the labyrinth, listening to the sounds that were coming from beneath. “Did you smell that? There must be rats hiding somewhere down here.” Perhaps the prince had really become a beast, with those heightened senses of hearing and smell that were beyond a human’s ability. Had Dimitri been spending some nights hunting bandits without people knowing? Not that he could keep an eye on the boar at all times.

They encountered a group of bandits hiding in the dungeons who fought back in an attempt to escape with their loot. Dimitri was the one who did most of the killing, like a savage beast on a rampage. He showed no mercy in gutting his enemies, relishing in their screams and pleas for mercy as he continued to inflict pain on them. Felix tried to keep up with the boar while defending himself, but the carnage that laid across the passage made him uneasy and he had to suppress the urge to retch.

Some of the bandits who managed to get away from the beast’s wrath began collecting their treasure and attempted to run away from them. “No escape!” Dimitri yelled and began to give chase, pursuing them down the winding passages.

“Dimitri, stop!” Felix called out as he tried to catch up with the boar through the twists and turns of the dungeon. If they were to get separated in this dungeon, that would mean waiting for their deaths in this place. The boar continued his chase, having no intention of letting them go. Felix could already feel his stamina slipping, and the boar was surprisingly fast despite his large build. Seeing no other choices, he quickly casted a spell to freeze the boar on the spot to stop him from running. The spell lasted for only three seconds, but it was more than enough to let the bandits escape from their sight.

“Why did you let them escape?!” Dimitri demanded, turning back to snarl at him. “We cannot let them escape without giving them punishment for what they’ve done!”

“It is true it is wrong to steal, but they are doing it to survive.” Felix argued as he tried to hold him down. “And we have ventured too far into the dungeon, we will get lost if we continue to pursue them.”

“Why worry about getting lost? I will drag them together with me to death if I have to.” Dimitri insisted.

“You won’t accomplish anything doing that!” Felix snapped back. “What do you think you’re trying to do? Do you think that giving your life can actually save the people? There are so many things you could do that are better, why do you insist on this path?”

“I don’t want to be right. What’s the point of being right when you cannot even do things right?”

“You’re the one that is not right!” Felix argued back. “Or… That’s how you put it. I would do anything to drag you out of this filthy place if I had to.”

“You should’ve just let me rot in here. All the voices, and everything, it would be better if I were just dead.”

“Shut up! You better stay alert if you want to have your revenge. I am not going to forgive you if you die here.” He grabbed hold of Dimitri’s arm and pulled him with such surprising force. “Listen to me this time. We’re getting out of here.”

* * *

The two of them walked around the network of tunnels in hope of finding an exit. All that chasing they had done had caused them to get lost in the labyrinth itself. Finding the exit seemed like a futile attempt but it was the only option they had if they wished to survive. Felix tried to retrace their footsteps through his memory but every twist and turn were similar to each other and it led them into more confusion.

“Is there a light over there?” Felix asked while pointing towards the end of a hallway. Amidst the dark, there was a faint light pouring out the end of it. “Maybe it’s an exit.”

The two of them raced towards the direction of the light, hoping that it may be an exit. But that pathway did not lead to an exit, it led to an open space instead. Mysterious traps and floorings littered the space. What unnerved them, however, was the number of captive people being held in this enclosed space. They were locked up in cages and cells. Most of the prisoners were unconscious, some just staring at them with soulless eyes. “C-Can it be? Is that Flayn?” Felix asked, pointing towards one of the cells where Flayn was being locked up. The girl was unconscious, locked up in a different cell from the rest, her face deathly pale.

“Intruders! Get them!” They heard another voice. The two of them turned around to find themselves surrounded by a group of mysterious soldiers. Among them was a mysterious knight clad in dark armour, donning a skull mask to hide his face. “Looks like you’ve discovered our hideout. You won’t be allowed to leave here alive.”

“Who are you?” Felix asked, his hand immediately going to reach for his sword hilt. “Are you the one who has been kidnapping people lately?”

“I am the Death Knight,” the mysterious knight replied. “I am the one who hunts for people’s blood. It’s unfortunate that you walked into this, you will have to fuel my quench for blood.”

“Heh, so you’re the one doing this after all.” Dimitri let out a devilish smile. “I will make sure to smash that mask of yours.”

“You’re an interesting one, one-eyed demon.” The Death Knight snarled back. “You dare to stand against me and my pleasure?”

“We’re the same after all. We’re all beasts who crave for blood. I wager that this will be an interesting fight.”

“Only death awaits you. One of us will die here and now.”

“Goddess, why did I have to get into this?” Felix muttered.

The fight itself was a tedious one. Waves of enemies continued to intercept them, which made the task of watching over the boar harder as Felix cut down an archer whilst keeping an eye on the boar. Dimitri was enjoying the duel, his lance drenched in the blood of the enemy as he pierced and stabbed several of the soldiers at once. But with just the two of them, they were no match against a massive number of enemies.

Just then, Lysithea and Linhardt entered the battle zone from one side. Their presence was enough to split the enemies’ attention away from them. Lysithea might have seemed frail, but her magic was unrivalled as she conjured fearsome dark magic that drained the enemies’ life force. Linhardt made use of the contraptions scattered around the area to gain the upper hand against their enemies.

“Out of my way!” Dimitri roared as he charged forward, dragging trails of blood in his wake. Felix kicked a mercenary aside before he chased after the boar, trying to keep an eye on him. The boar was so busy getting rid of the line of enemies standing before him that he didn’t notice some mages intending to attack from the side.

“Boar!” He called out, trying to reach him but a group of mercenaries and brigands surrounded him and blocked him from reaching out to the boar. The mages conjured their magic and intended to attack Dimitri but their attacks were cut short when an arrow knocked out one of them and another was prevented from attacking by a silence spell.

“Your Highness! Felix! Thank goodness we arrived just in time!” It was Ashe and Marianne who appeared from another pathway. “We’ll help you get rid of them!”

“How annoying…” The Death Knight murmured as he saw the tide of battle seem to change. He continued to run deeper into the maze, stepping on a teleportation portal to warp himself to another side.

“Don’t you dare run away!” Dimitri called out and gave chase. The rest of them managed to hold the enemies back and stopped the reinforcements, but the danger was not over yet. Dimitri tried to go through the teleportation portal to go after the Death Knight but a trap was activated which turned the portal into a tile of spikes. He just managed to barely avoid the trap, but his leg was grazed by the sharp knives.

“Like moths to a flame…” The Death Knight taunted him. Yet, Dimitri was not giving up and continued in his pursuit. Another trap was activated — the tile Dimitri was stepping on slid aside to reveal a pitfall trap and Dimitri fell straight into it. Felix managed to react quickly and reached out to catch him before he fell, but Dimitri’s weight was pulling him downward as well. Ashe quickly came up to help them but even his strength was not enough to haul the prince up.

“Boar, get yourself together!” Felix yelled, but Dimitri seemed unfocused, as if consciousness was slipping away from him. Both he and Ashe would have lost their grip if it wasn’t for Lysithea who casted a warp spell to pull them to safety.

“All of you are quite capable, but your strength is not enough to defeat me.” The Death Knight mocked them. “Such foolishness will only get yourselves killed.” He raised his scythe to call upon his armies. “Kill them all.”

They expected to get attacked but then they heard someone call out. “The Knights of Aegle are here!”

“Looks like you manage to get away this time! But the next time we meet, one of us will die.” The Death Knight said before he vanished together with some of his men.

“Damn, he got away!” Dimitri cursed. He intended to chase after the Death Knight but the rest of them had their grip on him to stop him from running away.

The Knights of Aegle led by Catherine and Rodrigue stormed down the hallway. “I didn’t expect to find you guys here. Is everyone alright?” Catherine asked, Thunderbrand in one hand giving off a glow that threatened anyone who dared to cross her. She gave orders to the knights to catch any remaining stragglers.

“Felix, Dimitri, what are you two doing down here?” Rodrigue asked in shock.

“I-It’s a long story, sir.” Ashe quickly came up with an explanation. “But first things first, we need to rescue those people who were captive here. They look like they need medical attention.”

“Hey, they’re the people who have been reported missing in the past few weeks. We need to get them to the infirmary quickly.” Catherine called some of the knights to help rescue the prisoner. The rest of them followed the knights and returned to the surface.

* * *

Rhea and Seteth were relieved when they learned that Flayn had been found and was safe, albeit a bit weak from imprisonment. They were grateful for all their efforts in saving Flayn and the kidnapped people. Things seemed to settle back to normalcy, but Rhea had the Knights of Aegle continue in their search for the culprit who remained at large. Kidnapping within the city had ceased, which gave people some sort of relief to say the least.

It was a good thing that relief washed over the church ground, but Felix was not at ease. Now he was in his room, drinking down a bottle of bitter concoction his father gave him while listening to his rambling. His father chided him about getting himself and the prince into trouble and how they were endangering themselves by walking so deep into the dungeon. “It’s a good thing that we arrived in time, but what if we were a step too late? It would be no good if you were to drag the prince down with you.”

“I know, I know.” Felix let out a sigh in defeat. “I’ll end up jeopardizing the future of Faerghus if I let the prince fall. We must not let that happen. That’s what you’ve always said.”  _ And the fact that I am always a disappointment to you _ , he wanted to say that out loud but he decided that he had spoken enough.

“I will not tolerate such manners from you.” Rodrigue frowned at Felix’s insult. “You should know that I care about you as well. Losing you would break me.”

“Oh? I thought I had broken you numerous times.” Felix retorted back. “You always say I’m a failure.”

“Perhaps I was harsh back then. But to me, you are who you are, and my son above all else. You are all I have left.”

“You’re a damn old man.” Felix just replied back sarcastically. “You can go on living according to your stupid ideals. But I am not going to do as you said.”

* * *

Felix stayed in his room for the entire day. The battle last night had left a few scratches and bruises on his limbs, it was nothing serious but he just felt too tired to leave his room. Ashe brought him his meal and filled him in about the day’s happenings. Apparently, he had wandered into the dungeon because he was trying to help Marianne find her lost item. Lysithea and Linhardt ended up in the dungeon out of pure curiosity. He had a fair guess, that the young lady had once mentioned the suspicious tunnel that linked the church to the dungeon below, and she probably made Linhardt explore with her because of her phobia for ghosts. Then, there’s the boar who was keeping himself away from the public. Ashe was worried about Dimitri’s injury; the man refused to seek medical attention despite the injury he had sustained in battle.

“Aside from that, Flayn is recovering. She sustained no major injuries during her imprisonment. It’s a good thing that we managed to save her just in time.” Ashe added on. “Thank the goddess that everything ended up well.”

Night time finally came and silence settled upon the church ground. Felix took the opportunity to walk around the place to sort through his thoughts. The crisp summer air of Morfis Island had finally faded and was replaced with chill night air. It was not as cold as what Felix remembered; he had experienced harsher cold than this. But then, he was not very used to the heat, it irritated him somehow.

The garden of the church was littered with rare flowers and herbs that thrived in the humid environment. It was amazing that plants were able to grow well despite the heat. Felix’s glance lingered at the lavender and lilies that were planted at the side of the walkway, relishing in the soothing aroma the flowers gave off.

Then, the boar came into his sight. He frowned, noting how the boar was limping. Just how stubborn could he be?

“You shouldn’t be out here.” He walked up to him and said, “Didn’t you go to the infirmary? We don’t want you to be in bad shape in the next battle.”

“It’s just a small cut. It will heal by itself.” Dimitri grunted. Felix stole a glance at the cut on his leg. The wound had not clotted, instead it had become deeper. “Stop lying to me. I can tell that you’re definitely not okay.”

“It does not matter. You shouldn’t waste your efforts helping me.” Dimitri turned to leave but Felix caught hold of him. “Let go of me.”

“I am not letting you go unless you get your wounds treated.” Felix insisted. “Don’t you dare to speak against me, there’s no way you can go into battle in that state. Are you intending to get yourself killed?”

“I am as good as dead already. I don’t need to be saved.” The boar said, his tone holding a hint of bitterness. “The only thing that matters to me is bringing justice to the innocent.” He took a step forward, but his leg failed him and he fell onto the ground. Felix tried to hold him, but the boar was bigger than him and both of them collapsed onto the ground.

“You can’t do any of that in that state.” Felix convinced him. “Your wounds are not healing. They must’ve infused the traps with poison to weaken you. If we don’t remove it, you’re going to be in more trouble.” Dimitri struggled to get up but Felix shoved him so that he laid on the ground. “At least let me heal your wound. You’re not going anywhere if you don’t recover.”

Dimitri’s mind spun and slurred as he felt Felix working on removing the fabric that covered the wound on his leg. He couldn’t tell whether it was the voice of the dead or the poison that was making him hallucinate. The shadows of the dead were calling out to him, calling him to avenge them. His father, blood dripping from his empty eye socket, his body gutted and an arm missing, was among the ranks of the dead asking him to bring the heads of those responsible, to end their suffering.

“Stop moving, boar!” Felix cursed, his hands gentle in their ministrations. He cleaned the wound to remove any excess blood before casting a healing spell to remove the poison from the cut and closing the wound. Dimitri relaxed a bit when he felt the pain subside, chasing away the voices of the dead and clearing his mind. It was a nice feeling, to be taken care of by someone, something he thought he did not deserve.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Dimitri asked, blinking his good eye when Felix finished bandaging his leg.

“You don’t need to ask why.” Felix scowled at the question. “You should be grateful that I’m willing to help you. I could’ve just let you die because of a stupid cut.”

“I don’t deserve any sort of kindness.” Dimitri muttered, his voice low.

“Everyone cares about you.” Felix corrected him. “Remember I once told you about someone with the violence of a beast?”

“What about it?”

“I saw him unleash his bloodlust in the battlefield and got disgusted by his behaviour. In anger, I shut him off completely and turned away from him, saying he was a beast wearing human skin.” Felix told him. He could sense something in his voice, was it guilt? “Looking back from now, I realized how cruel I was towards that person. The way he was behaving actually meant that he was suffering, all the hardships he had been through. I could’ve stayed by his side and helped him get over his pain, but I left him in the dark all alone. In the end, he sank into despair deeper and deeper until he was past the point of no return.” His amber gaze looked up into the sky, as if he was looking back to days long gone. “Sometimes I wonder, if I had stayed by his side, would I have saved him?”

“Then why would you abandon him if you cared about him?” Dimitri asked.

“I just couldn’t stand the sight of him behaving like a beast.” Felix said. “But they say that people only understand how important such petty things are to them when they lose them. I guess that fits the description of how I felt.”

“Do you regret doing that to him?”

“Not that you would understand,” Felix changed the topic, as if he was trying to deny what he was feeling. “But what I am trying to tell you is that there is no use to you just clinging to the past. The past is the past, you cannot change that, but you can change the future.”

“Does the past mean nothing to you?” Dimitri questioned back. “All those people who died, do you not care about them at all? It is my duty to see that their objectives were achieved. I cannot just let their deaths be wasted.”

Felix scowled at Dimitri’s reply. “Why do I bother talking to you?” He let out a sigh. “I have always hoped that you would understand how all of us care for you and that we have always wished to help you, but it seems like there’s no way you would understand how all of us feel. I was a fool to think that I could save you.” He turned to walk away but he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness hit him and his legs stumbled when his vision became blurry for a moment.

“Are you alright?” Dimitri asked, but Felix refused his help. He managed to find support by leaning onto one of the columns. The dizziness only lasted for a moment, but Felix had to breathe a few times to calm himself down and cleared his vision.

“I-I will be fine…” He said when he finally calmed down. “I will be heading back to my room.” He quickly left the garden, avoiding eye contact with Dimitri. He kept walking until he finally reached the safety of his room, panting his breath as he tried to keep himself in control. The window of his room gave him a clear view of the night sky. He gazed up at the moon, lost in thoughts, fearing the many possibilities looming before him. “It looks like I will not be able to keep my word…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the game text mentioned that Morfis Island was the City of Illusion and known for its mysterious magic. One of the reason why Felix picked up magic mainly because he felt the need to study and make himself more powerful.   
> Among the characters that appeared, Ashe and Marianne did not attend the academy, Hanneman was also not part of Garreg Mach. Linhardt and Lysithea came to Morfis Island with the purpose of deepening their magic study. Some characters like Catherine would be mentioned from time to time but she will not have much major role in the story. I intended to focus on a certain number of characters and their involvement in the story.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Archbishop Rhea assigned Dimitri on a mission in the Alliance Territory. Marianne had some issue regarding her crest, so Dimitri decided to help her deal with it.

Felix was in his room reading when Arden brought him news about Dimitri’s return from his mission. Later, he found Dimitri in the infirmary with Marianne by his side.

“I see that you have returned,” He commented, noting some of the torn and scratches that marked Dimitri’s body. He had opted to remove his thick cape and coat in favour for lighter clothing due to the humid weather of Morfis Island. It was strange to see Dimitri wearing lighter clothes, considering that the man grew up in the cold winter land of Faerghus, but those clothes allowed him to see the prince’s figure underneath the layer of clothes. “Is your mission going on well?”

“I’d rather not go back to that hot and sandy place. I swear that I got my throat loaded with sand.” Dimitri winced slightly when Marianne pressed a piece of wet rag on one of his wounds. “To think that the archbishop would send us somewhere in the middle of a desert to deal with some gigantic beast, I’d rather not do that again.”

“I-I am sorry. This all happened because of me…” Marianne apologized shyly. “I shouldn’t have come along with you.”

“Don’t apologize, Marianne. This is not your fault.” Dimitri tried to console her.

“But you got injured because you tried to protect me,” Marianne said. “You should not have saved me. I have caused more misery and trouble than help.”

“I do not regret saving you, Marianne,” Dimitri insisted. “It is natural for us to help each other. You are helping me with my wound now, just like how I helped you just now. That makes both of us equal.”

“W-Well… Um… I’m just glad that you’re alright…” she said, bowing her head low, trying to avoid eye contact. “I should take my leave… I-If you would please excuse me…” she said before leaving the infirmary.

“Is she alright?” Dimitri asked when Marianne finally left. “She does not look so good.”

“Not that I know much about her, but she has some sort of self-esteem issue,” Felix told him. “But don’t you think you should be worrying about yourself first?” He questioned back, referring to the wound on his arm. “That gash looks nasty. Are you sure you are alright?”

“I told you, I will be fine,” Dimitri insisted, swinging his arm to show that he was okay. “Flayn helped patch it up, so it wasn’t a big deal. I should be able to pick up a lance after a few days of healing.”

“That’s reassuring at least. You better stay in bed and rest up.” Felix stood up and left the infirmary. “And don’t you dare to get out of bed or I am going to cut your arm and make sure that you won’t be able to spar for the entire month.” The exchange actually felt good despite the sarcastic remark. There was a sense of normalcy for once, not the usual strained tension during their argument.

* * *

Later that night, Felix found Dimitri outside the cathedral, his gaze fixed at the night sky with a faraway look in his eyes, lost in thoughts. The boar seemed to have regained some humanity in him. He still avoided meeting people, but he rarely talked about death in public, which was reassuring if that actually reflected his current mindset. The injury he sustained in the previous battle helped him regain some of his senses in a way, but he still avoided the topic about returning to the kingdom.

“Something troubling you?” Felix asked, walking to stand by his side. Dimitri seemed to light up when he saw Felix, and Felix thought he could see a hint of delight in his face.

“I just have trouble sleeping, that’s all.” Dimitri managed a small smile. “Nightmares are something I have had since I was a child. There are times where I cannot even distinguish between dreams and reality.”

“Are you still haunted by the past?” Felix asked. “As painful as it was, we need to let go of it. How are you going to live on if you keep chaining yourself to the past?”

“W-Well… I just can’t let go of it,” Dimitri said. “I just keep feeling that I must do something for them to be at ease.”

“You know, people have always said the best reassurance we can give to the dead is to live on for their sake,” Felix told him. “You don’t have to always cling onto them. But living on is the best way of keeping their memories alive.”

“That’s a strange thing to say…” Dimitri muttered. “Speaking of which, that beast seemed to be telling me the same thing.”

“Beast?”

“The archbishop had assigned us to help take care of some bandits that were hiding out in a shrine in the middle of the desert. Apparently, a beast resided in the shrine and was said to be the guardian of the desert,” Dimitri told him.

“A beast as an actually the guardian of the desert? That is something unheard of.”

“I am actually surprised by that as well,” Dimitri said. “But that’s not what I am talking about. The beast actually challenged me to a duel.” He showed the wound on his arm. “It blessed me with divine power when I proved myself worthy.”

“It’s a good thing that this beast granted you power, but you don’t have to put yourself in grave danger to prove yourself worthy. It is the spirit itself that matters.” Felix told him. “It won’t do you good if you lose a limb. There’s no point in wielding power when you can’t even march into the battlefield.”

“Maybe you have a point too…” Dimitri sighed. “That beast also reprimanded me for being too reckless in battle. Power is what made me strong, but if I fail to use it properly, it will only bring me more harm.”

“Do you actually get it?” Felix rolled his eyes. “If you truly understand, then you better keep yourself alert during the battlefield. Don’t just mindlessly chase after the enemy and lose sight of everything.”

“It would’ve been better if you were there to keep watch of me.”

“Who do you take me for? Your caretaker?” Felix huffed. “I am not going to do this for you. Taking care of you is a pain in the neck…”

“I am not going to ask you to accompany me. I just wish that you will be there to help me change for the better,” Dimitri said. “There are still so many things I can’t understand. You are the only person who is stubborn enough to make me see things through.”

“I will do my best to help you, but only you yourself can decide on the path you walk, ” Felix said. “As much as you wish, I can never be by your side for long…”

“Why did you say that?” Dimitri raised his brow in confusion.

“J-Just… Forget about what I said just now.” Felix quickly shrugged it off. “I am just glad to see that you have finally regained some sense, just like the prince I remember months ago. I just hope that you won’t lose sight of yourself in the future.”

Dimitri opened his mouth and wanted to protest. He was no longer a prince, and he could never return back to the kingdom with the way it was. There was no future for him there — Dimitri he once knew was long dead. But Felix had no intention of listening to his rambling. He turned and walked away from the cathedral. Dimitri called out to him, but Felix did not respond, continuing to walk until Dimitri’s voice faded in a distance.

* * *

Two weeks after the mission at the desert, Rhea gave Dimitri a new mission. It appeared that there was unrest within Edmund Territory. There were rumours that the forest nearby had been overrun by demonic beasts. She had assigned Seteth to lead the charge and asked that Dimitri help investigate the matter.

“Demonic beasts in Edmund Territory, you say?” Ashe perked up at the new mission given to them. “That is in the Alliance Territory is it not?”

“It seems like the Alliance lords have their hands full and do not have time to take care of the demonic beasts.” Gilbert deduced. “But I do wonder what exactly happened in the Alliance? What actually is causing the lords to be so busy?”

“There must be some conflict going on.” Rodrigue said. “I have heard from the knights that more trouble is stirring within the continent. The emperor of Adrestia has gone missing. There is the mysterious Flame Emperor who began his conquest on conquering Fodlan. The Alliance has managed to remain intact, but the lords are warring against each other. If this situation were to continue, the lords could end up being involved in the war and the Alliance could be at risk of splitting apart.”

“I don’t care about politics. I only want to see this mission through.” Dimitri insisted, crossing his arms before his chest.

“But this concerns all of us as well, Your Highness,” Rodrigue informed him. “The entire continent is on the brink of war at this point. The empire has fallen, and the kingdom and the alliance are in chaos. It will only be a matter of time before war reaches this place.”

“Your Highness, if the time is right, we should return back to Fhirdiad. The kingdom is on the brink of collapse due to Rufus’ negligent ruling. We must restore order within the kingdom before we can face the war head-on.” Gilbert proposed.

“I don’t care for such things.” Dimitri objected, turning down the proposition. “I can no longer return to that place. The only thing I want is to kill those responsible for my father's death!”

“But the living people are the ones suffering right now. They need to be saved or more innocent people will die.” Ashe tried to convince him.

“You won’t change my mind,” Dimitri said, his fists tightening to the extent that they could hear the cracking sound of his joints. “Those who stand in our way should be wiped out, be it a man or a beast. I will do whatever it takes to get rid of them.” He turned and walked away, closing the door with a loud slam.

“And there he goes again. He still can’t get over the death of his family.” Gilbert sighed as he massaged his temple. “If only we could convince him to return back to Fhirdiad and retake the capital.”

“The archbishop said it would take some time before he is ready for the real mission. We should spare him a moment longer until he is in the mood to talk.” Rodrigue said with a frown, his eyes scanning the map laid across the table. “But I am afraid time is not what we have.”

* * *

At night, Felix found the boar wandering in the empty hallways of the church. He seemed rather listless and distracted. Felix tried to talk to him but he barely registered what he said. In the end, Felix dragged him into the training ground in an attempt to clear his mind.

With a kick, Felix knocked Dimitri down onto the ground, pointing his sword under the chin to stop him from resisting. “Alright, you win this round.” Dimitri said in surrender. Felix withdrew his sword with a pant, trying to regain his breath from the sparring session. “Are you going up for a third round?”

“I-I don’t think… I could…” Felix panted and sat down on the ground, taking in air as much as possible.

“Even if you go on a third round, I don’t think I could stand a chance against you.” Dimitri commented. “But at least you helped me clear my mind.”

“It’s a good thing that your mind has been cleared, but it won’t do you any good if you were to lose in a real battle.” Felix scowled, his breath evened out a bit. “What has been eating at you? Is it about the mission?”

“In a way, I am afraid of returning to Fodlan. Even though I am not returning to Faerghus, the thought of returning there haunts me.” Dimitri finally admitted. “I am an outlaw. I can no longer return back there, not when I have lost everything.”

“If you really feel that way, all of us here would’ve left you alone.” Felix said. “Everyone is here to help you, because they believe you deserve better.”

“Am I even worthy of such kindness?” Dimitri frowned as he looked at his palm. “This hand of mine had been stained with too much blood… A bloodthirsty monster like me should be left to die alone, not to be sympathized.”

“I am going to kill you if you talk about death again,” Felix threatened. “Everyone here tries so hard to help you because they believe in you. Are you just going to forsake their concern and let everything become nothing?”

“Is there any point in living?” Dimitri questioned, as if he were asking himself. “For what reason do I have to keep living? I am so exhausted, so tired…”

“You’re tiring yourself.” Felix said. “It’s not good to let yourself be wasted. You should take some rest from time to time.”

“But there are still so many things that need to be done. If I stop, the burden will only prolong.”

“The burden will be doubled if you collapse of exhaustion.” Felix chided as he gently laid Dimitri down on the ground. “We will always be there to help you, and you can repay the favour by giving yourself a good rest.” His fingers ran through the messy blonde hair, untangling the knots and smoothing it. “You will be leaving for the mission tomorrow. For now, please get some rest.”

Dimitri wanted to protest but his head felt so heavy and a sense of drowsiness began to cloud his senses. It was not a bad feeling, finding it soothing that the voices that plagued him finally faded into a distance as he got lulled into sleep.

* * *

Dimitri could barely remember what happened after falling asleep, but he woke up to Gilbert’s voice in the morning, telling him to get ready to depart for their mission. He didn’t need to make any preparations as the necessary clothes and food were packed up for him already.

On his way down to the courtyard, he met Felix at the stairway. The young man seemed to have expected his arrival.

“Have you got everything readied?” He asked, eying the sack Dimitri was carrying. “I hear that the Alliance Territory is not as cold as it is in Faerghus, but it is always better to have more clothes in just in case.”

“I could care less about such trivial matters, the thought of the mission has consumed my mind.” Dimitri said. Felix scowled at the response but he made no comment.

“Just promise me that you will take good care of yourself.” Felix said after a moment. “It would be a pain if you were to lose a limb. And don’t charge blindly into the battlefield for the sake of slaying the enemies. Watching out for your own safety is the top priority in a battlefield.”

“I will try to survive through this…” Dimitri said.

“You MUST survive!” Felix emphasized. “I am not going to forgive you if you return back dead.” He paused for a moment, looking into his palm. “If I could, I would’ve followed you into the battlefield but there’s something I need to take care of, so I can’t join you. The rest is up to you.”

Rodrigue walked up to them and patted Felix on the shoulder. “Your Highness, I hope that all the preparations are done. It wouldn’t do you good if you lost a thing or two during the journey.”

“It’s alright, Rodrigue. I have taken everything that I need,” Dimitri reassured him.

“Please be careful.” Rodrigue reminded him. “I know you’re only facing beasts, but a battlefield can be rather unpredictable.”

A number of knights had already gathered at the courtyard to prepare for their departure. He could see Seteth chiding Flayn. The young girl possibly begged her brother to bring her along, because she worried for his safety. Ashe was there helping the knights secure their inventories and Linhardt just watched from afar while waiting to depart.

“Your Highness, there you are.” Ashe beamed when he saw Dimitri approach them. “Everyone is waiting for you to depart.”

“All the preparations are almost done. Once we load our cargo onto the ship, we should be able to set off for the Alliance.” Seteth nodded at them.

“Um… If you guys don’t mind, can I tag along with you?” Dimitri almost jumped at the voice. He turned around to see Marianne behind him, she seemed a little awkward when voicing her request.

“Of course we don’t mind you tagging along, Marianne,” Ashe said. “But we will be heading out to battle, and it will be dangerous. Just make sure that you stay away from it.”

“M-Maybe it would be better if I-I sit out of the battle…” She shied her head away from them as if she were trying to hide herself. “B-But I need to go to the Alliance Territory… Th-There’s… There’s something important I need to do over there…”

“Don’t say that. You’re one of us and we will always appreciate your contribution to the team.” Seteth encouraged her. “You said you had something to do at the Alliance right? So why not join us?”

“B-But I… I don’t even have anything to contribute…” Marianne said sheepishly. “Letting me come with you will only cause more trouble…”

“You have helped us many times, Marianne.” Ashe persuaded her. “You always help us with the horses and tend to our soldiers’ wounds. Your kind spirit and healing skills are greatly appreciated, I am sure you will be a great help to the team.”

“O-Oh um… If that’s how you feel… I-I will do my best and try not to get in your way…”

* * *

The journey to the Alliance Territory took one day. The ship they travelled on docked at Derdriu before they continued their travel northwest towards Edmund Territory. By the time they arrived at their destination, the second day had almost come to an end. Seteth decided that they would set up camp at the outskirts of the city and retired for the night.

“Ah… That was quite a trip, I felt like I could just lay down and sleep the whole day.” Ashe let out a yawn as he laid down his sleeping bag.

“Don’t let your guard down,” Gilbert advised. “War is raging in the empire and the kingdom. The Alliance leader probably put up a neutral front to keep the Alliance away from the war, but there’s still conflict within. We must remain cautious, especially of the enemies that are roaming at large in Fodlan.”

Edmund Territory lies in the northwest of the Alliance, far away from the capital of Derdriu. The place was a quaint and quiet spot surrounded by thick forest. Seteth had dispatched some of the knights to inquiry about any sighting of the beast attacking the village. There were rumours here and there about a beast lurking deep in the forest that would occasionally come out to hunt for human flesh. Some villagers had reported that several people had gone missing on the nights when the beast was sighted.

In the afternoon, Dimitri tagged along with Ashe, Marianne and Gilbert to patrol the village. One of the merchants noticed them and called out, albeit in a rude tone.

“Hey, that girl over there!” He called out. “Why did you come back here?! Have you brought more beasts to attack us?!” Marianne shook at the statement and she looked around nervously.

“I’m afraid you have misunderstood something.” Gilbert shot the man a glare. “For what reason would you accuse this girl of something like that?”

“Don’t speak as if you know her better than me!” The merchant retorted back. “You should know of the beast wandering near our territory. It attacks people at night and feasts on their flesh.” He added on. “We would have led a peaceful life undisturbed if it weren’t for that girl. She caused misfortune to befall this village — many innocent people were lost because of her!”

“What are you talking about? Marianne would never harm innocent people!” Ashe argued back. “You must not accuse people without any evidence.”

“I have more than enough evidence. We have watched her since she was a child. Everyone who came into contact with her suffered a terrible fate,” the man said. “I see that even after all these years you still dare to step foot into our village. I will report to the authorities to get you out of here!”

“N-No… I would never…” Marianne quivered as she took a step back.

“You speak as if you’re the innocent one.” Dimitri finally spoke after a moment. “But you are the one who’s trying to harm the innocent one here! I will not tolerate any brutality toward the innocent. Shall I gut you alive and feed you to the beast?”

“You monster! How dare you say such a thing?!”

“That’s enough Dimitri.” Gilbert quickly stopped Dimitri before he could attack. “Let’s not cause a scene here. It will lead to more trouble if word is to spread that the Knights of Aegle are attacking the people.”

Eventually, they left the village and went back to their camp. All the patrolling made them hungry so Gilbert left to bring them some food while the youths sat down to take a rest. Linhardt came to sit with them and converse briefly about their findings.

“Don’t take what he said to the heart, Marianne. We all believe in you.” Ashe comforted her, giving her a glass of water.

“I… I’m sorry to get all of you dragged in that matter…” Marianne managed to say. “But it is better that you guys don’t get too close with me… I will only bring you trouble and misfortune…”

“You mustn’t say such things.” Ashe said. “He was afraid of the beast and was finding someone to blame on, that’s all.”

“W-Well, I’m not so sure about it… But I think what he said made sense in a way…”

“Why would you say so?” Linhardt asked. “Does the beast have some relation with you?”

“The truth is… I was born in Edmund Territory, in this very village.” Marianne finally said. The boys were shocked at the revelation but they did not interrupt her and allowed her to continue. “I was born with a mysterious crest…”

“You… You have a crest?” Linhardt gasped in disbelief. “Now that probably has something to do with the beast.”

“Did something happen because of your crest?” Ashe asked, trying not to sound like he was digging for an answer.

“A few years after I was born, my parents went missing. At the same time, there were rumours about a beast lurking in the forest hunting for people. Many people said that my parents were killed by the beast,” Marianne explained. “Some point after that, I was adopted into another family. But they also died under mysterious circumstances. Since then, people have said I was the harbinger of death, one who brings misfortune to the people.”

“Now that I think about it, some people transformed into beasts because of their crest power. Do you think this could be one of them?” Linhardt brought up a theory.

“You can put it in that way,” Marianne said. “My crest is said to be a symbol of disaster. Anyone who comes into contact with it will be met with misfortune and those who possess the crest will transform into beast and slaughter people.”

“That statement is an exaggeration, is it not?” Dimitri finally spoke once she finished explaining. “I have seen you several times and there’s no way you would be able to transform into a beast and hurt people. There is no truth in it.”

“But there is a possibility that her crest could be tied to the beast,” Ashe argued. “Maybe, if we stop this beast, we would be able to dispel the accusations against her?”

“Now that’s interesting.” Linhardt mused. “I was wondering if it would be possible to stop the beast if someone has a crest, but I am not certain how that would work out.”

“There’s only one way to do it,” Dimitri said. “We must confront this beast and stop it. It is the only way if we want to protect the village and its people.”

“Good point, Your Highness.” Ashe nodded in agreement. “We cannot let this beast continue to roam and harm innocent people. Let’s stop it.”

* * *

The group proposed their resolution to the rest of the group. While Seteth agreed that they must vanquish this beast, it was not a good strategy to charge into the forest when dusk is setting in. Dimitri argued back that if they don’t take care of the beast, it will attack the village again at night and harm the people. But Seteth managed to hold his ground, he did not wish to risk the life of the soldiers, especially when they still do not have a plan of attack. In the end, they were dismissed and sent to rest, they could not argue back and have to wait until tomorrow morning to commence their attack.

Dimitri woke up some point in the middle of the night, finding himself unable to sleep. He decided that he would have a bit of a stroll to tire himself out. Apparently, he was not the only one outside. Marianne was awake too, seemingly deep in thoughts.

“Marianne…” He managed to approach her and asked gently so as not to startle her. “Is there something in your mind?”

The blue haired girl snapped out of her thoughts and turned to him. “H-Huh… Oh, Dimitri, why are you still awake?”

“I had some trouble sleeping,” Dimitri admitted. “I can never really have a good sleep, with all those painful past and stuff.”

“I’m sorry for causing trouble to all of you. All of you got roped into this because of me.” Marianne said, bowing her head low in shame.

“Don’t apologize for something you did not do,” Dimitri told her. “All of this is happening because of that beast, not because of you nor that crest. It just… It all happened at the wrong time.”

“That may be true but sometimes I wonder if things could have been different. If I were not born with a crest, or if none of these were to happen to me, maybe I wouldn’t have had to suffer like this…” she told him. “But if it weren’t for the current circumstances, I probably would not have been able to meet you, Ashe, everyone… I have always told myself I don’t deserve such kindness. Yet, I cannot shake away the warmth everyone has offered to me so kindly. It actually feels… nice, and I never thought I yearned for it.”

_ We’re here for you. _ Felix’s words surfaced in his mind. Maybe it’s true that the past can never be erased, but if he can look at it the other way around… couldn’t he find a silver lining to this situation?

“The past can be both painful and blissful,” he finally said after a moment. “But the only thing we can do is focus on the present and the future. This beast… If we can stop it, maybe it will end your suffering and all those accusations on you?”

“I’m not confident I can do it, but I have always thought that the beast was calling out to me to help it…” Marianne gazed into the night sky, searching for an answer. “I can feel it. Somewhere deep down, there lies something I have been desperately looking for…”

“Then we must defeat it, we cannot lose to it.”

“That’s right. We must stop it, no matter what.”

* * *

They set out into the forest early in the morning. Seteth and Gilbert had picked out a handful of capable knights to join on the mission. The forest at the outskirts of the village was densely covered with fully grown trees and thicket. The trees had dwarfed them and swallowed the light from penetrating onto the surface, which made navigating even harder.

“From what I have heard, nobody has dared to enter this woods since the beast appeared, those that entered never made it back alive,” Gilbert informed the team. “It is said that the beast likes to hide in the woods surrounded by a thick fog. It would be quite a challenge for us if we were to battle it in the fog considering we may not be familiar with the terrain and surroundings.”

True to what Gilbert said, they soon found themselves in an area of the wood shrouded with a deep layer of fog. Seteth had some of the mages cast some fire spells to light the way but their visibility was very much obscured, so the group was ordered to stay close to each other and not to wander off on their own.

Just then, they could hear a roar coming from the fog and a stray arrow came flying out of nowhere. It almost hit one of the Pegasus knights, startling the army. “The beast must be close by!” One of the knights called out, their voices alerted the beasts hiding in the group and they began their frenzied attack on the knights.

It was during the battle Marianne got separated with the rest. She dodged one of the beasts' attacks and ran away from another, only to find that her friends had vanished from her sight in the fog. “Dimitri, Ashe, are you there?!” she called out, but her voice was drowned out by the battle cries of the knights engaging in battle against the beast.

Deep in the fog, she could make out the silhouette of a beast not too far away from her. It looked bigger than the rest of the beasts surrounding them. While it was unclear, she thought she could see fangs in the jaws of the beast, a single horn protruding above its maw.

“You…” It said in a deep voice. “Are you of the same blood as me?”

“Wh-What are you talking about?” Marianne took a step back as the beast approached her.

“My beastly blood is roused… Could it be that you bear the same crest?” The beast stepped into her vision, giving her a clear image of it.

“A-Are you really the beast that attacks the village? What do you want from me?”

“It seems that your presence has been detected by demonic beasts. You will be lucky to make it out alive.” The beast let out a roar, which drew more beasts to attack.

“Marianne, look out!” someone called out and she was quickly shoved aside before she could react. When she got up, she found Dimitri standing before her, using his body as a shield against the beast.

“D-Dimitri, you’re hurt,” she said, noting the cut on his arm.

“We will handle this later. Let us focus on this fight.” Dimitri said, pointing his lance towards the beast. “After all, we agreed to see this through, so I can’t let you fall here.”

“You’re right. Thank you for saving me, Dimitri…” Marianne said, keeping an eye on the beast. “But about the beast’s identity… I don’t know how to put it but it seems to be suffering. Perhaps if we defeat it…”

The beast charged forward to attack, but Ashe managed to snipe an arrow that lodged in its jaws, stopping it from attacking. “I’m glad to see you’re unharmed, Marianne.” He said as he and Linhardt caught up to them. “We were so worried when you got separated from us.”

“That beast looks huge,” Linhardt commented, noting how the beast went berserk and thrashing about. “It must be the one that is commanding the other beasts in the forest. I can sense that it seems to possess some sort of a crest power in it. If we defeat it, maybe we can stop the other beasts as well.”

“Then let’s take care of it, before this battle drags on and more soldiers are injured,” Ashe said. The rest nodded in agreement before they commenced their attacks.

“You dare stand against me?” The beast taunted. “Very well, I shall feast upon your flesh and blood.”

“N-No, I won’t fall to you. And I won’t let you hurt anyone!” Marianne called out.

It was a tough fight, but they eventually managed to put the beast down. All the soldiers were drained when the beast was finally defeated. And now, the four of them were confronted with the sight of its remains. The body had disintegrated as soon as the beast drew its last breath, leaving behind human skeletons and a single sword.

“This sword…” Marianne gasped, reaching out to touch it.

“It has a crest stone in it too. Could it be?” Linhardt pressed on.

Later that night, Seteth informed them that the sword was one of the hero relics, Blutgang. The relic has mysteriously vanished at some point in history yet they had found it here. That was one mystery solved, but it led to another question. How did the sword end up within the beast?

“I never thought we would actually recover a lost relic,” Linhardt commented. His eyes lit up with amazement when the sword glowed in Marianne’s grip. “I’m glad I tagged along. But if the beast possessed the sword, could this mean that the beast actually possessed a crest stone?”

“I did see something similar happen in the past,” Dimitri said. “They say that those who misuse the power of the relic could end up turning into beasts themselves. Maybe that’s what happened to the beast.”

“Are you saying that this beast was originally a human?” Ashe frowned at the thought. “For some reason, I now feel bad about killing it.”

“No… I believe we did the right thing,” Marianne finally spoke up. “The man who had turned into a beast. It must’ve roamed in the dark woods for a long time, suffering for its murderous deeds.”

“It’s a good thing that we took care of it, or more innocent lives would have been lost.” Dimitri convinced Ashe. “In a way, we released it from its suffering.”

“Thank you, all of you.” Marianne said gratefully. “I couldn’t have done it without your help. I felt as though… my curse has been lifted, as if I am reborn.”

“I’m glad that you’re in better spirits.” Ashe beamed when he saw her smile. “Perhaps it’s time that you should walk down your own path.”

Dimitri watched the conversation. Marianne finally let out a genuine smile, one that reflected true happiness and contentment, not like the usual fleeting smile she gave when he first met her. It was a refreshing sight, seeing her freed from the chains that bound her and embracing who she truly was. At the same time, Dimitri wished that he could be like her, away from the burdens and suffering of the past...to be able to look into the future.

* * *

The journey back to Morfis Island was rather uneventful. The villagers were grateful for their help. They also apologized to Marianne for accusing her, and she was welcome to return to her homeland whenever she wished to. Rhea thanked them for saving the people and for retrieving the lost artifacts. Instead of asking for the Blutgang, she allowed Marianne to keep the sword with her.

At night, Dimitri was back to his usual routine of wandering the hallways. He spotted Felix by the garden, who seemed concentrated on something. He watched as Felix casted a spell on his palm, breathing life into the flower on his palm, causing it to sprout and grow into a bouquet. It was an amazing sight to see, but the amazement only lasted for seconds as the stalk of flowers suddenly withered away, leaving dried petals, leaves and a single branch.

“I see that you’re back.” Felix turned around to face him as he approached. He scowled at the sight of the bandage on Dimitri’s arm. “You’re injured. Did you go see a healer?”

“I assure you, I am fine,” Dimitri said. “Flayn and Marianne helped to treat my wounds, it’s no big deal now.”

“Speaking of Marianne, she seems to be in better spirits recently. And the archbishop even gave her a sword, a hero relic was it not?”

“It’s a long story.” Dimitri heaved a sigh. “But it seems she is freed from the curse, so that’s a good thing.”

“Marianne has also made peace with the past, so why won’t you let go of your burdens and move on?” Felix said. “Surely you understand that no matter how hard and painful life can be, you must still walk on your own path. You don’t have to live in the shadows of others.”

“As much as I wish I could, but I cannot let go of it,” Dimitri said, shaking his head. “Please don’t say such things. You know that I won’t change, and I won’t let go of the very goal I had in mind.”

Felix was obviously unhappy with his reply, but he got tired of trying to convince him. “You’ve got quite a thick skull in there,” he commented. “Though what is the point of trying to keep hold of a past that is long gone, you will only break your neck if you continue like this.”

Dimitri did not reply and Felix could care less for a conversation, so he focused on picking up the dried stalk of flowers. “Is there anything you need, boar?” He asked, feeling the other man’s stare through his back.

“Are you practicing magic just now?” Dimitri asked, noting the mess that laid across the floor.

“It’s a new magic that I just read up about. It requires a lot of energy and concentration,” Felix said. “I have tried a number of times without success. I guess I need to try harder.”

“I’m impressed that you can focus on both magic and swordsmanship. I cannot really find myself to study magic.”

“I never had much interest in magic, honestly speaking. I just pick it up to pass time. But it has helped me to grow stronger, and I would say it’s not so bad once you have mastered the basics.” The night wind blew past them, sending the dried flower petals fluttering around.

“I know that you’ve yet to master it, but I can tell that you’re making good progress. I would be honoured to see the results of your practice. I know you can master this.”

“Stop trying to shower me with kind words,” Felix scowled while attempting to hide his face, Dimitri laughed a little at his facial expression. The smaller man intended to retort back but his throat let out a cough instead.

“Are you alright?” Dimitri asked in concern. It was not like Felix to cough all of a sudden.

“I’m fine. Just tired, that’s all.” Felix’s reply was brief. “Training the entire day has tired me out, I should head back to get some rest.” He turned to leave but not before saying to Dimitri, “You should get some rest too.”

It was a strange feeling, but Dimitri felt warmth bubbling in him. It felt as if something heavy in his heart had been lifted off a little. He did not know what lay ahead, but perhaps it is a sign that something good would be happening soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit of an interlude focusing on Marianne. I just feel that she needs a little love here. Dimimari has been quite a popular pair in the fandom considering that the two of them have some dark backstory and struggle with living. But about what happened in this chapter, perhaps it could help expand the story a little bit in later parts. Now that Dimitri had regained some humanity in him, but there was still a long way for him to go.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With winter slowly approaching Morfis Island, Dimitri spent his time lazing around. But changes can be unpredictable and Rhea suddenly assigned another mission to him. This time is no mock training, but a grand trial to decide whether Dimitri was prepared for the matter at hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This part is one of my favourite part of the story. It feels like things are finally on the move. Fair warning though, things are going to be quite emotional especially at the later half of the chapter. Better get some tissue readied.

Time seemed to slow down after their mission at Edmund Territory. Dimitri spent most of his days lazing and waltzing around. With the Red Wolf Moon approaching, weather in Morfis Island had cooled down considerably. Even though Morfis Island was never a place for snow, the cool air made people feel relaxed and calm as they walked down the street enjoying the breeze.

It was an odd feeling. He didn’t know how to put it, but he felt some of the burden had lifted off from his shoulders. He still avoided walking in crowded areas but he found himself some sense of peace, as if the ghost had stopped disturbing him for a while. It was a good feeling, he admitted, but it still felt wrong. He knew that he should be focusing on his goal, but he couldn't bring himself to carry it out.

“I’ve seen you walking around more often these days,” Felix commented. “That’s something good, at least.”

“I just felt the urge to do it, but I have no intention of giving up my goal,” Dimitri said. It was night time at the cathedral, and the two of them were sitting on the marble floor

“Don’t you have any plans for the future?” Felix pressed on. “If you have no intention of returning to the kingdom and take back the throne, what do you plan to do? Are you intending to stay here forever?”

“I could ask you the same question. You don’t seem like you’re doing anything staying in here.” Dimitri retorted back.

“I’m different from you.” Felix argued back. “I spent my free time studying and training, unlike you who just spends the entire day lazing around. You’re as good as dead if you do nothing.”

“I don’t see you accomplishing anything.” Dimitri said in a playful tone. “I see your father joining the knights of Aegle on patrol or fights, but you never seem to step out of here at all.”

Felix’s face turned crimson and he couldn’t stop himself from stuttering. “Th-That’s… That’s a different story…” he managed to say. “I don’t see any wrong with my father fighting in the battlefield. They say he’s always been a gallant warrior.”

“But you’re an amazing fighter too,” Dimitri said. “I have seen you in battle several times, and your skills with the blade have never ceased to amaze me. And your style of battle is one of the finest forms I’ve seen.”

“Enough with the flattery. Don’t think you can sway me to join your cause with simple compliments. I have said it before. I have no intention to fight for your cause. I am not going to follow your path of becoming a savage beast.” Felix said. “I’d rather not march to my own death.”

“But what is the point of you practicing with the blade when you have no intention to fight?” Dimitri asked. “Is there any other reason why you choose to pick up the blade?”

Felix frowned a bit at the question. “I told you. I do it just to pass my time. After all, there’s nothing better than the pursuit of strength and making myself grow stronger.” He let out a sigh. “As much as I wish for the thrill of battle, I don’t think I am capable of doing much… I could end up just being a burden…”

“Why would you say so?” Dimitri pressed on. “You have helped me many times. The way you saved me from the bandits is more than enough to prove your skill worthy.”

“Do you… really think so?” Felix muttered. “You speak as if you know me, but how much do you really understand me? You don’t even know what I’m truly like.”

“Is that what you truly think?” Dimitri forced a smile as there was a moment of silence. “I just like you for who you are. But if you’re so stubborn, shall we have a sparring session? The Felix I knew never backed down for a challenge, and he always showed his honest side in a battle. Will you open up to me with a sparring challenge?”

Felix seemed to hesitate for a bit but the thrill of battle probably stirred his desire and he ended up agreeing to the invitation, with the stipulation that Dimitri leave him alone if he won.

* * *

The sparring did not last long. The fight was a blur for Dimitri. He could only remember the flurry of sword and lance as they clashed or dodged each other’s attack. He swung his lance and tried to use its weight to pull Felix down, but Felix managed to avoid the attack and use his blade as a leverage. The blue hair man then tried to deliver a thrust towards him, but he parried the attack with his lance. The moment when Felix was trying to recover from his thrust gave him an opening as he jabbed Felix on the gut with the blunt edge of his lance, causing Felix to lose his balance and fall onto the floor.

“Are you alright?” Dimitri asked, giving him a hand.

“I yield…” Felix muttered bitterly as he allowed Dimitri to help him up. “I can see that you’re not holding back at all.”

“And you don’t seem like you’re giving your all.” Dimitri commented. “You had never held yourself back even when you spar. It’s like you seemed to hesitate in your attack.”

“I… I’m not!” Felix retorted back. “I’m just glad to see that you have regained a part of yourself.”

“Oh? Why would you care about me so much?” Dimitri teased.

“Do you even realize how many times you’ve endangered your life because of your recklessness? Your mind gets blinded by vengeance, and your movement becomes sloppy. That is one thing you shouldn’t do on the battlefield. It will only get you killed,” Felix said. “Surely you can be better than who you are now. Why won’t you try to be something better rather than laying yourself to waste?”

“I have no intention of going back.” Dimitri insisted on his way. “Faerghus is dead to me, so is the prince of Faerghus. I don’t see any reason to continue with the living. The last thing I can do is to kill those responsible for the atrocity and put an end to everyone’s suffering.”

“Why can’t you just open your eyes and see beyond your hatred?” Felix frowned. “Why do you have to live for the dead, when those who are alive need you the most?” There was more Felix had to say, but he ended up choking on his words and ended up in a fit of coughs.

“Hey, are you alright?” Dimitri quickly knelt by his side, concerned about the other man. Felix tried to shake it off, but his body went into convulsion and he hacked blood out before passing out. Dimitri was worried and he tried to shake him awake to no avail. “Felix, get up! Open your eyes!” When he received no reaction, he immediately carried Felix in his arms and ran out calling for help.

* * *

How long had it been since he was waiting? Had it been an hour? Or two hours? Maybe not much time had passed at all, but it felt all the waiting had given him too much agony. Rodrigue, Rhea and a healer were in Felix’s room tending to him, but it has been far too long for his liking.

Ashe handed him a cup of tea while Marianne tried to comfort him and reassure him that everything would be alright, but he couldn’t stop worrying if Felix could be saved. His mind kept on rewinding what had happened. Felix collapsed onto the ground and hacked out blood. It all happened too fast. While spilling enemies’ blood on the battlefield was exciting and thrilling, getting his hands stained with Felix’s blood was a different matter.

_Look at what you have done! You killed him!_ The voices at the back of his mind resurfaced. They snarled at him, calling him a killer. Dimitri grunted as he tried to fight back and regain his sanity, but he had a hard time distinguishing between illusion and reality. _Felix, please don’t die!_ His mind called out, as if seeking for a glimmer of hope. He cannot imagine how things would turn out if Felix were to die because of him, it will be another burden he will have to bear.

Just then, Rhea and the healer exited from the room. The archbishop had a frown on her face, which was more than enough to confirm his worst fears. Felix’s uncle walked up to ask about Felix’s condition but Rhea refused to disclose anything to him. Instead, she called out for Dimitri to come with her. He followed her lead as she led him down the halls into an unoccupied room.

“How is he?” Dimitri asked her as soon as she closed the door. “You must save him no matter what!”

“Your Highness, I ask that you calm yourself down.” Rhea said, her voice remaining calm. “I hate to break this to you. We managed to stabilize Felix’s illness for now, but I’m afraid that his condition is deteriorating. He does not have much time left.” She told him.

“Are you saying that he’s going to die?!” Dimitri almost had a breakdown at the revelation. “Felix is strong, there’s no way he is going to die just like that!”

“Your Highness, please calm down.” Rhea gave him a pat on the shoulder. “There is a cure to his illness, but the chances of finding it can be rather slim.” She told him.

“A cure you said?” Dimitri perked up at the news. “Is there something I can find to save him?”

“Do you remember the mark of flame on your hand? There is a grand trial I have been intending on sending you off to clear when you’re ready enough to take it on. But I never thought that it would happen this early.” The archbishop said, her words foreboding on some sort of trouble.

“Are you saying that the cure to Felix’s illness and my trial…?”

“Behind Garreg Mach Monastery lies the Oghma Mountains. Deep beneath the mountain lies a place that is sacred to the goddess, an ancient civilization known as Zanado,” Rhea told him. “There is a rare flower that is said to only bloom once a year. This flower is called the Goddess’ Dewdrop and is said to perform miraculous cure to any illness. However, this flower is hard to find, the last time I managed to find one was ten years ago.”

“If I find this flower, can it be used to save Felix?” Dimitri asked. “And this trial you’re talking about?”

“Although Zanado is a sacred place, it is also inhabited by wild beasts. Many people who have ventured deep inside did not make it out alive.” Rhea told him. “For your grand trial, you need to enter Zanado and retrieve a relic that was kept in there, the Sword of the Creator. If we can get this sword, it could help us greatly in the battlefield.”

“So I am going to have to retrieve both the Sword of the Creator and the Goddess’ Dewdrop itself?”

“That is your final mission, to prove that you’re worthy of the mark of flame. If you manage to complete the mission, you should be able to receive a revelation from the goddess.” Rhea managed a small smile. “Seteth will be leading a group of knights to accompany you in this mission. You will be leaving for Zanado tomorrow. It will be a difficult mission, but I have faith that you will succeed.” She placed both her hands together as if she was praying. “May the goddess watch over you.”

“I will see to it that it is done,” Dimitri said. He thanked her before leaving the room and headed back to Felix’s room. As he approached, he noticed Rodrigue coming out from the room.

“Have you come to see Felix?” Rodrigue managed a forced smile when he saw Dimitri approaching. “He needs to get proper rest. If he works out too much, it will do no good to his condition.”

“This is my fault.” Dimitri said guiltily. “If it wasn’t because of me inviting him to a sparring session, he won’t end up like this.”

“Please don’t blame yourself, Your Highness.” Rodrigue consoled him. “You had done nothing wrong in the matter. After all, Felix’s illness had happened for a long time and I’m afraid that things are getting worse.”

“Has Felix been this ill?” Dimitri asked, voicing out the question he had been longing to ask. “He never said anything to me and he didn't look like he was ill at all.”

“Felix has his own reason for doing this,” Rodrigue explained. “I understand his decision to keep it away from you. He knows that you’re having a hard time and does not want to give you more burden.” He let out a sigh and leaned on the wall. “Felix actually was not this sickly before if you were curious to know.”

“Has something happened that made him sick?”

“In a way, this is my fault.” Rodrigue said, his voice sounded… guilty? “I was too focused on my duty that I neglected my son’s well being. Someone I trusted turned his back against me and hurt my son. I fear I am not strong enough to protect him.”

Dimitri did not say anything in response, just deep in thought. Rodrigue was a nice man, in his opinion. Though they only met a few times, but Rodrigue was a capable man himself. The knights of Seiros looked up to him for his skills and intelligence in the battlefield. And he would occasionally come by to speak with him and try to set him right, even though he was not in the mood to listen to them speak, he always talked to him with the patience of a saint. For some reason, Rodrigue seemed to remind him of his father, a strict but loving man who cared for everyone.

“I have seen a fair share of hardship throughout my life.” Rodrigue added on. “Countless friends, family, allies that perished along the way, but still life has to go on. It never gets easier.” He let out another sigh and turned to face Dimitri. “I have no right to tell you what to do, and neither can I insist that you take back Fhirdiad and the throne, but the least thing I want you to do is to live your life your way. I’m sure Felix has been telling you the same thing, hasn’t he?”

Again, no response from Dimitri, Rodrigue continued on. “I heard that Lady Rhea has sent you to Zanado tomorrow, to retrieve a hidden relic and to search for the Goddess Dewdrop. For the past few years, I had followed the knights into Zanado in search of the flower but we turned up empty-handed, that flower was not easy to find. Moreover, deep inside Zanado is overrun by beasts, better stay alert when you are on your mission.” He informed Dimitri. “You should get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long journey ahead.”

* * *

Rodrigue did not protest when Dimitri decided to spend the night in Felix’s room, but he gave the stipulation that Dimitri let Felix get proper rest and not to disturb him. Felix had woken up when Dimitri stepped into the room and judging by his expression, he probably overheard his conversation with Rodrigue just now. He had never seen Felix this pale before, as if his blood had been drained completely. His hair that was usually tied in a bun has been untied and left falling down his shoulder, the dark colour made his skin look sickly pale. The amber eyes that were usually filled with sparks of life seemed dull and lifeless. It pained him to see Felix in such a state that he wanted to hold him in his arms and comfort him. But then again, Felix’s condition had worsened because of him, Felix worked himself to death because of him.

“My king… Why do you agree to this?” Felix whispered faintly. “Why would you march to your own death?”

“Don’t call me that.” Dimitri managed a sad smile as he scratched behind his neck. “I’m no longer the prince of Faerghus…”

“You may have lost that title. But to me, you will always be my king.” Felix said, his gaze wandering past the window. “I was originally born in Faerghus, but I can no longer return back to that place.”

That was something new, Dimitri had never heard of Felix talking about the past or his story. He sat by Felix’s bed and held his hand, wincing a bit at the cold skin. He realized that he had never had a proper conversation with Felix all this time. But then, it seemed like the man’s past was not a happy one. If only there was anything he could do to sooth his pain.

“Please tell me that the archbishop is not sending you to some impossible mission.” Felix pled. “She is sending you to your own death. If you were to die…”

His sentence was cut short with a kiss on his lips. Dimitri embraced him in his arms, the first time since they did it back in Fhirdiad. Felix still tasted the same the last time he remembered and Dimitri loved everything about him. All the while he was so blinded for vengeance that he did not notice how hurt Felix had been all this time. Felix had protected him many times, even though it may have costed him his life.

“How long have you been hiding this from me?” Dimitri asked softly, smoothing waves of blue hair that fell down Felix’s shoulder.

“Since the first time we met…” Felix said, refusing to meet his eye. “All this time I have been using magic as a disguise, but even magic has its limitations and it drained my energy. After that incident at Herveil Village, I have not been allowed to walk under the sun. And now I have been reduced to this.” He forced a sad smile, looking at his pale palm. “I do not regret it though. It’s better living a short, meaningful life rather than a life full of regret.”

“I do not blame you,” Dimitri said. “You have saved me many times. I have managed to survive this far because of you.”

“Still… I could’ve done better if it wasn’t because of my illness.” Felix frowned at the statement. “I wasn’t there to save you when you were being attacked at Fhirdiad.”

“Don’t say such things. You’ve done more than what I could ask for. So let me repay you this time, I will definitely bring the cure back for you. You don’t have to suffer anymore.” Dimitri said, his hand gently cupped Felix’s cheek to share some of his body warmth. Felix’s eyes seemed glazed under the dull candlelight. Is it sadness? Or is it pain?

“I’ve been through a lot.” Felix said. “This illness meant nothing to me. But maybe it could take away all the suffering I had endured all this time and be freed of the pain.”

There was a gust of wind blowing past the window, sending the candle to flicker. Felix shivered slightly at the chill. Dimitri stood up to close the window but Felix stopped him. “No, leave it open. I want to see the night view and feel the night breeze.” He called out as he tried to get out of bed. Dimitri reacted quickly and went to support him.

Felix waddled towards the window with the help of Dimitri. It was already late into the night and the only noise they could hear was the faint sound of the lapping waves and calls of the cicada. The weather in Morfis Island barely changed even though it was already mid-autumn, and the flowers still bloomed despite the chill.

“Even though winter is approaching, the flowers are still in bloom,” Felix muttered. “Just like those anemones over there, it almost reminded me of the flowers back in my homeland.” He pointed towards one of the bushes overgrown with fresh blue flowers. “There’s also the snowdrop which used to be grown during the winter season but the weather here was a tad too hot.”

“I know that the land of Faerghus was usually cold and flowers rarely grow in that places, but when flowers did bloom, the country was breathed with life.” Dimitri said.

Felix heaved out a sigh, his eyes gazing at the garden wistfully. “I know it is hopeless to think about it, but sometimes I wish to return back to my homeland. I missed the winter and the wilderness of Faerghus.”

“You have always been a strong man. I will bring the cure for you, I promise. That’s the only way I can repay you for what you have done for me.” Dimitri vowed. “And when you recover, you are free to go wherever you want.”

The blue haired man leaned onto Dimitri for support, his eyes were forlorn. “I do not ask anything of you,” he said after a moment. “I just wish that you live on with your life, for my sake and everyone’s sake. Promise me that you won’t throw your life away for the sake of some silly revenge or as a way of repaying debts.” A faint smile appeared on his face as his hand found Dimitri’s, lacing their fingers together. “Even if there’s a cure, it was but just a glimmer of hope. I do not regret living a short life and laying my life to you. Meeting you has been the best thing I could have wished for in my life, and I am grateful for you to stay by my side even in my last days… I do not… I finally feel at ease…”

Dimitri could’ve felt his heart shatter at the thought of Felix saying his last wishes. He wanted to shout out, _No, you won’t die. I won’t let you. I will definitely bring you the cure._ But in the end, he submitted everything to the will of the Goddess, only she would decide Felix’s fate. Felix, who had been fighting against the sands of time and making the most of his ebbing life, was more than enough to convince him that life was precious. What had he done all this time? Is there anything worthwhile for him to live? He was afraid of losing someone precious to him, afraid of the pain and suffering...

“I promise you.” He finally said after a while. “I will do my best to complete the mission, and... I won’t throw my life away.”

“That’s… reassuring the least…” Felix muttered tiredly. “We should get some rest. It is getting late already, and you need to depart early tomorrow morning.”

Dimitri let out a grunt in agreement as he helped Felix back to bed. He planted a gentle kiss on Felix’s forehead before placing himself by the bed, holding Felix’s hand all the while. Fatigue soon claimed them and they both fell into a dreamless slumber.

* * *

The sun had yet to rise when Dimitri woke up. He left without disturbing Felix and got himself prepared to depart for Zanado. Seteth and a handful of knights would be accompanying him in the journey. Among those who tagged along were Ashe, Marianne, Gilbert, Linhardt and Lysithea.

“Good morning, Your Highness, did you sleep well?” Ashe greeted him.

“This mission kinda took me by surprise.” Linhardt let out a yawn. “It was announced so suddenly that I didn’t even have enough sleeping time.”

“You don’t have to follow us,” Lysithea chided him. “After all, we are just tagging along. You don’t need to come if you’re not in the mood to do so.”

“I AM coming with you guys.” Linhardt corrected her. “After all, Zanado was a place said to have some mystery to crests and is usually not open to the public. I must take a look at that place if I were to learn more about crests.”

“I am coming too.” Marianne said. “You helped me last time. It’s only natural that I help you back.”

“Your Highness, all preparation has been done. Are you ready to leave?” Gilbert asked the group. “It seems like good weather for voyages. We should be able to reach Fodlan by tonight if everything goes smoothly.”

“Of course, let us depart at once,” Dimitri said as they boarded the ship. Before leaving Morfis Island, he spared one last glance back at the church, hoping to catch sight of Felix watching him leave. “Wait for me, Felix. I will definitely come back for you,” he muttered silently.

From his room, Felix watched as the ship left the port and headed towards Fodlan. He couldn’t shake off the pain in his heart but all he could do was to pray to the Goddess that Dimitri survived his trial. He would not be able to forgive himself if the prince were to die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, I got so emotional when I was writing the conversation between Felix and Dimitri. And now the plot is beginning to roll, what is going to happen to them?  
> I hope you enjoy the chapter as much as the artwork done by [Amber](https://twitter.com/quintokki). She really done a great job bringing out the feel for this chapter, especially her artwork.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri together with a handful of knights set off into Zanado in search for the hidden relic as requested by the archbishop. But their mission ended up being more than a mission.

When he was young, he had heard legends and rumours about Zanado. Many of them were associated with the Goddess. There was also a saying that Zanado was an ancient civilization that existed before the continent was even known as Fodlan. The Goddess blessed the land with its sacred power, making the land fertile and feeding its people.

But those were just stories. The reality could be a far cry from what was being written. He followed the knights as they hiked mountains that led deep into the densely forested area. There were exotic flowers and rare plants he had never seen before growing in this place. Ashe and Linhardt looked around in fascination at the bountiful nature.

Further into the mountains, they came across the ruins of Zanado. The place itself suggested that civilization had taken place here for more than a thousand years ago. This place had seen better days, if the ruins were to indicate anything.

“More than a thousand years ago, the Goddess was said to have descended upon this very place and gave her blessing to the people,” Seteth told them. “The land became rich with minerals for the people to mine. She had also gifted them with knowledge of this world.”

“Did the Goddess actually live here?” Linhardt asked. “I have never heard anything about the Goddess living with humans, but if she were to be immortal, could she still be alive?”

“It is true that the Goddess had power beyond a human’s potential, but everything still has its limit,” Seteth said. “It was said that a great war consumed Fodlan. The Goddess used her power to craft hero relics and bestowed crests to capable warriors that helped to end the war. But the Goddess lost most of her power. In the end she retired back to the Blue Sea Star to heal.”

“That does explain the existence of crest stones and heroes’ relics, but still some of the stories about the Goddess do not add up… I wonder if…”

“Save your questions for later, young man,” Gilbert said. “We will be entering the forest inhabited with beasts. Better be careful about that.”

* * *

As the group marched on deeper into the woods, demonic beasts swarmed them as they proceeded. They fought off the beasts and pressed forward until a secluded temple came into view.

“I never thought there would be a temple here,” Marianne exclaimed in surprise. “It looks kinda old but the building is still intact unlike those ruins.”

“Originally this building was built to worship the Goddess, but when the town of Zanado fell into ruins, this place was left abandoned,” Seteth said. “But it was said a beastly creature inhabited in here, different from those demonic beasts we encountered just now.”

“A different kind of beast… Are you saying that this beast is like a guardian or something? Like the beast we once fought in the desert in Morfis Island?” Dimitri deduced.

“You could put it that way.” Seteth nodded in agreement. “This beast is known to be guardian deity and they are said to be kin to the Goddess.”

“Kin to the Goddess? One at the desert, and now another one here. Just how many of these intelligent beasts exist and how do they relate to the Goddess?” Linhardt piped up in interest.

“A question for another time,” Seteth reminded him. “We should be heading inside. This will be your grand trial, Dimitri.”

The interior of the temple was dark and moist. There were a few torches that lit the damp corridors of the temple and puddles of water can be found pooling in some corner. Seteth had some mages lit up the dark corridor so that the group was able to navigate better in the dark space. They continued walking deeper into the building until they found a chamber flooded with water. In the middle of the water was a gigantic dragon with spikes armour on its back. “That creature over there… Is it the guardian of this temple?”

“Did I sense a presence or two?” the creature muttered. “No one is allowed to enter here, unless… hmm? For what reason have you come here?”

“We came here to retrieve a relic. Do you know where it is?” Dimitri called out to it.

“Ah, so you’re here for the relic.” The creature let out a laugh. “The sacred relic you desire can never be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. If you wish to have it, you must prove yourself worthy of it.”

“I expected such a response from you.” Seteth said as he called the group to prepare for battle.

“Don’t expect me to go easy on you all,” the creature said. “I hope you make this battle worthwhile for me.”

A torrent of water rained upon the group as they tried to charge forward. The beast was not joking when it said it is not going to go easy on them. The water was not the only threat the army was facing. They had to fight against illusions summoned by the beast.

Dimitri was the one to lead the charge, Ashe followed behind him and shot down any enemies trying to intercept them. Marianne, Lysithea, and Linhardt followed behind while conjuring magic to take down enemies from a distance.

“You’re quite formidable, I give you that, but I expect more from you all.” The beast let out a roar and called upon tidal waves that splashed on the soldiers, causing them to lose their footing and fall into the water.

“Do you really know about the Sword of the Creator?” Dimitri asked once he came face-to-face with the beast.

“I can give it to you, only if you defeat me,” the beast said calmly. “You seem to possess a courageous spirit, but you’re too reckless. One must have clarity of the mind to win the battle.”

“What are you…?”

“You charged forward to attack an enemy, which was a brave and admirable spirit of you. Yet, you failed to notice an attack that was aimed at you from afar, which could have costed you your life.” The beast added on. “Not only did you put yourself in danger, but put your teammates at risk as well. As a leader in the battlefield, it is always important to watch each other so that you can win together. That’s what it means to work in a team.”

“I appreciate your kind words of advice, but I’d rather focus on the fight at hand,” Dimitri muttered. “We can talk later once this battle is over.”

“You are an interesting man.” The beast chuckled. “I sense something familiar about you deep down. You carry unlimited potential. Unleash it in the battlefield and use it to defeat me. Show me what you’re capable of, and I shall reward you for your effort.”

Seteth and Gilbert cut through the fray of enemies and joined by his side. Ashe shot an arrow that lodged on the beast’s back. “Your Highness, are you alright?” Gilbert asked as he shielded Dimitri from a phantom sniper attack.

“Dimitri, look out!” Marianne called out. Thankfully, Lysithea summoned her magic to subdue the beast’s attack.

“The way the beast is behaving and attacking is different from those demonic beasts we encountered outside,” Linhardt said. “Could it be a different type of beast? Or maybe it is something else entirely?”

“It’s better to focus on the fight at hand,” Seteth said. “Some questions are better left unanswered, at least for now.”

Seteth and Gilbert launched a wave attack that broke through the beast’s defence. Lysithea and Ashe used this opportunity to strike, stunning the beast for a moment. “It can’t attack, now is our opportunity!” Seteth called out. Dimitri ran towards the beast as fast as his feet could carry, jumping in the air when he found the right spot to attack. With the beast’s armour weakened by the combined attacks, Dimitri used the momentum he gained from the speed and jabbed the lance into the beast’s armour, letting it sink as deep as it could.

“Interesting, you actually defeated me…” The beast muttered as it humbly admitted defeat. “You have proven yourself worthy, I shall grant you what you desire.”

“If I remember correctly, the Sword of the Creator is said to have been kept in this temple. Would you allow us to have that blade?” Seteth spoke up. He seemed casual in his speech, without a hint of fear.

“The Sword of the Creator… If that’s what you desire, you shall have it.” The beast relented before turning to face Dimitri. “You who bear the flames, the sword is a powerful weapon in your hands, but do not let its power corrupt you. You have a great future ahead of you. I hope that you look at what is ahead of you and use the blade to carve your own path and use your power for the greater good of this world.”

“Carve… my own path?” Dimitri was a bit confused at what the beast told him. He looked at it as if hoping for an answer, but the beast seemed to enjoy his confusion.

“It’s getting late. You should leave here as soon as possible.” The beast let out a small laugh. “There will be great change on the horizon, and I hope you will not forget this battle. Use it to achieve what you want.”

* * *

The beast showed them a hidden passage that led underneath the temple. Seteth led the way as they walked through the tunnel until they found an exit at the other side. Trees and grasses overgrown the area, and the area was surrounded by water, the place looked like it was once a garden above a lake before it was laid to waste. At the end of the walkway, there was a small monument. On the handle rested a single sword.

“This must be it,” Seteth said, approaching the sword that was placed on the monument. Dimitri reached out to touch it, gasping in surprise when he felt a wave of energy surge through his vein. “The Sword of the Creator…”

He was about to take the sword from the handle when the group suddenly heard footsteps coming from the other side. “Halt, who goes there?” Gilbert called out towards the sound of the footsteps. The footsteps got closer and louder. They turned around to find themselves confronted by a group of mysterious soldiers.

“Who are you guys? And how did you get in here?” Gilbert frowned at the looks of the soldiers. They don’t look like they are allies.

“I have to thank you guys for defeating that beast.” The leader of the group laughed gleefully. “The room is wide open for us to enter.”

“How dare you intrude this sacred place?!” Seteth yelled. “Have you been following us the entire time?”

“All of you were so foolish that you didn't even notice us. Regardless, we will snatch the Sword of the Creator from you. Thank you for finding it for us!” His face twisted into a maniacal look, eyes filled with bloodlust. “If you refuse to hand it to us, we will show you no mercy!”

Seteth quickly ordered the knights to defend, but the knights were tired from the fight just now and they were unable to keep up with the enemies’ fast footwork. Dimitri quickly took the sword from its handle and tried to make a dash for the exit, but the leader managed to intercept him.

“I have heard much about your trail of blood, one-eyed demon,” he taunted him. “But I shall end it here and take the Sword of the Creator from your bloody hands.” He slashed his blade towards Dimitri, but Dimitri quickly parried the attack with his lance. The assassin made several attempts to hit him, but Dimitri held on his ground.

“You are indeed as impressive as I heard, I admit,” he hissed at him. “But I will not let you get away. Might as well let you die here now.” His free hand reached into his waist to pull out a small dagger that he threw in Dimitri’s direction. Dimitri dodged the attack but the blade still grazed his thigh. It was a shallow cut, but he could feel a sense of dizziness wash over him, the blade must have been laced with poison.

“Your Highness!” Ashe and Gilbert called out in unison, but they were surrounded by soldiers from all sides. They could not advance to help him.

“Does it hurt?” The assassin laughed maniacally. “There’s no use struggling. I will take the sword from you and your head as well!” Dimitri snarled at him as he thrusted his lance, using it to distract his attacker before he delivered a kick. “How dare you?! I told you, no matter how hard you struggle, you can never escape from this place!” He then called out the mages to attack Dimitri.

A barrage of dark magic rained upon Dimitri, knocking him down. He fell onto the grass face down, his legs failed to carry him forward, but he still refused to let the sword go as he tried to crawl forward.

“Attack him! Make sure he can never stand up again! Take the sword from him by force if necessary!” The leader called out and Dimitri hissed in pain when an arrow lodged on his leg. Venom coursing through his body made his movement sluggish and his head grew heavy with every passing moment. He could barely register the cries of the battlefield and the looming threat above him.

_So this is it, I am going to die here…_ He finally thought as consciousness began slipping away. _I’m sorry, everyone, I am not strong enough…_ In his final prayers, he could hear the voice of someone familiar calling out to him, but his mind was too foggy to make out the words.

* * *

He felt himself engulfed into darkness. He had probably entered the realms of death. He wouldn’t be expecting the goddess to show him any mercy after all he had done. The only thing left for him was to burn in hell. If only he tried harder, he could’ve dragged those damned dastards to hell together with him, but he was not strong enough to do so… In the end, he had lost.

“You… Are you just going to let yourself die and rot away?” He heard a voice in the darkness. “After all you’ve done, are you just going to give up at the last moment?”

“I tried my best…” he muttered, “But in the end, my strength was not enough…”

“You are just like a boulder that keeps rolling downhill… No, even boulders are not that foolish.” The voice mocked him. “But are you just going to accept things the way they are? Everyone on the other side, they are waiting for you, you are their only hope. You are going to drag the whole company to their deaths, are you prepared for that?”

The thought of everyone dying because of him brought him back to reality. He couldn’t imagine everyone falling because of his defeat. Gilbert, Ashe, Marianne… All of them would die here because of him. He thought about Felix who was back at Morfis Island fighting against time waiting for his return. He could not… After all they had done for so long, he could not let their effort and sacrifice be wasted. Everyone was trying so hard to help him, so he cannot just falter like that.

“I… I cannot fall here…” He finally said after a while. “I must go back. I must return back to where my friends are and win this fight.”

“So you have decided to live, huh?” The voice said with slight amusement. “But letting you return back to where you are will only kill you, you are being attacked after all.”

“Are you saying that I am literally… dead?”

“In a way, your body is dead, but what matters is your will to live. You have chosen to live, therefore I will have to unleash my power to help you out of here.”

“Your power? Help me out of here?” Dimitri muttered in confusion. “Just… who are you?”

An apparition soon appeared in the darkness, revealing a girl with long green hair wearing ancient robes sitting upon a chair made of marble stone. “I am called Sothis, the people also called me ‘The Beginning’.”

“Sothis? The Beginning? What are you talking about?”

“You gave me quite a rude awakening just now,” Sothis said, not answering his question. “I had been sleeping this entire time, and all that ruckus just now woke me up,” she continued. “It seems strange… How were you able to enter here in the first place? Could it be related?”

“You there,” she called out to him. “Do you bear the flames?” Her eyes scanned him up and down, before noticing the mark on his hand. “Aha, so you’re the one destined to inherit the flames. You must be the reason why I woke up.”

“Do you know about this mark?” Dimitri asked her.

“My name is Sothis, she who watches over Fodlan, she who died and entered into a deep slumber. You must have awakened me when you touched the sword,” Sothis explained. “Ever since I died, my soul must have been sealed with the sword, waiting for the fateful person to come and awaken me again.”

“You… watch over Fodlan? A-Are you the Goddess revered by the people?” Dimitri asked in shock.

“I was once a Goddess, but no more…” She said solemnly. “But I can still use my power to save you. You have made your decision to continue fighting, so I shall do my best to help you.”

“You will save me from this darkness?” he asked her.

“The only way to return you back to life and save you from this darkness is to unleash the power of the Goddess. But I lack a body, so I will have to relinquish it to you. When that time comes, you and I will join as one… and I will disappear,” Sothis explained.

“I won’t allow it!” Dimitri objected. “You’re the goddess of Fodlan. What will happen to the continent if you vanish?”

“Although I will disappear, that doesn’t mean I am no more. My soul will join with you, just like the flames that will continue burning.” Sothis tried to console him. “You have proven yourself as a courageous and brave young man, bearer of the flames. You are worthy of wielding the sword. I hope that once I give you the power, you will use it to cut your own path. Do not lose sight of the light,” she added.

“I should thank you too, for helping me.” Dimitri bowed in appreciation. “I promise that I must live on, for those who are waiting for me.”

“Your will and mine are joined together as one.” Sothis let out a small smile. “Let’s work together. Your wish is to return back and save your friends…” She walked down from the throne. “Both sides of time are revealed to you. You know that I am the beginning, what shall you do?”

Rays of golden shimmering light surrounded them. Dimitri cleared his mind as he felt the goddess’ spirit merge together with him. The mark of flame on his hands began to glow and he could feel a mystical energy surge through his body veins, giving him the power to cut through the darkness.

* * *

“Your Highness, get up!” Gilbert called out in desperation. “Dimitri, you must get up, NOW!” The rest of his friends called out to him to no avail. Enemies swarmed his fallen body and tried to pry the Sword of the Creator from his hand.

Just then, the crest stone located in the sword began to glow and a blinding light engulfed Dimitri and the sword. Everyone got shocked at the sudden change of event and they tried to get away from it. When the light finally faded, Dimitri was seen standing with the glowing Sword of the Creator in his hand, his hair glowed platinum under the light.

“Dimitri, thank the Goddess you’re alive!” Seteth exclaimed, he could barely hide his relief.

“You… You look different!” Lysithea gasped when she noticed the changes. “But I guess we will have to ask about that later.”

“Impossible!” the leader of the enemy cursed. “How could you survive such a lethal attack? It doesn’t matter, I will have to kill you myself!”

The assassin charged forward and tried to slash Dimitri with his blade, but Dimitri knocked him back with the Sword of the Creator. Even the mages attack couldn’t stand a chance. Dimitri easily cut through them before he finally had the leader slain.

“Looks like that’s the last of them,” Gilbert said when the enemies are finally routed. “Your Highness, are you hurt?”

Everyone looked at Dimitri with eyes full of amazement. “You… You have changed. Your hair and everything about you,” Ashe said, mirroring everyone’s surprise.

“I am curious how you survived such a lethal attack,” Linhardt said. “We know that the assassin attacked you with a blade laced with poison, and you got attacked so many times. And yet, you’re still alive, standing right in front of us.”

“I think we’re more interested in wanting to know how he got turned into this, not why he did not die,” Lysithea corrected him with a roll of her eyes. “But really, we feared that you were dead until that light came out of nowhere and you were standing again. What actually happened?”

Dimitri was still a bit confused by the situation at hand. He turned to look at his reflection in the water, noting his hair had turned into a lighter shade of colour and all his wounds seemed to have healed, his eye did not heal though. “Um… It’s really complicated…” Dimitri let out a chuckle as he scratched the back of his head. “Maybe it has something to do with the Sword of the Creator…” he said, looking at the sword that is now glowing in his hand.

“Unbelievable!” Seteth gasped. “It looks like the sword has reacted to your mark of flame,” he said in surprise. “The Sword of the Creator is different from other hero relics, it holds immense power beyond any other relic. It probably reacted to your mark of flame and gave its power to you. With that, you are able to unlock the full power of the sword.”

“Isn’t that amazing? The sword actually chose you.” Ashe beamed in excitement.

“Don’t get overboard. As powerful as a hero relic is, it is always essential to use your power wisely. If you use the power of the sword for the wrong cause, it may end up corrupting your mind and turning you to the darkness,” Seteth warned him. “Since you have now obtained the sword, I hope you used it wisely and don’t stray from the path of righteousness.”

“That being said, we have completed the mission,” Gilbert concluded. “We should head back and report to the archbishop immediately.”

“No, wait!” Dimitri called out. “We still need to find the flower for Felix’s cure.”

“The Goddess Dewdrop, you say.” Seteth crossed his arms before his chest. “It is said to only bloom once a year and can only be found in Zanado, but don’t put too much hope on it. They say that finding the flower is literally impossible.”

“In the past few years, Rodrigue and some of the Knights of Aegle had made a few trips to Zanado, but they turned up empty handed. Finding that flower is literally searching for a needle in a haystack,” Gilbert said. “Of course we will try to search for it, but we can’t guarantee that we will find it.”

“Um… Actually, I think I saw a flower in the middle of the water,” Marianne spoke up, gaining everyone's attention on her. “A flower with white crystal like petals…”

“You saw it? Where is it?” Seteth demanded. Marianne turned and pointed towards one of the more secluded regions. The abandoned temple gave way to nature to reclaim the forgotten land. Wild plants grew across fallen walls and structures, the water itself was covered with floating plants. But among the vegetation, they could see a flower standing out from them. A single ray of sunlight penetrated through the broken building and shone on the single white flower floating on the water, its petal refracting light at different angles giving off various colours.

“I cannot believe it. It is the Goddess Dewdrop!” Seteth exclaimed. “We actually found it here!”

“I have never seen such a flower before. It’s beautiful!” Lysithea’s eyes lit up with amazement.

Seteth asked one of the Pegasus knights to help retrieve it from the water. Dimitri accepted the flower, holding it as tenderly as possible in his hands as if it was the most fragile thing. “We finally found it, Felix.” he muttered. “Wait for me, I will definitely save you.”

“We should be heading back now, Your Highness,” Gilbert told him. Dimitri tried to move, but he suddenly felt a sense of dizziness wash over him and his legs gave way, causing him to collapse. “Your Highness!” Gilbert called out in panic, but Dimitri had lost consciousness.

“It must be all the ordeal just now that has drained his strength,” Seteth said. “Let’s carry him back.”

* * *

When Dimitri finally woke up, he found himself in his room back in the Church of Aegle. He was content to be able to rest, but he suddenly remembered that Felix was suffering from illness and was probably waiting for him to return. “Felix!” He jolted up from his bed and intended to get up but someone managed to restrain him and pushed him back to bed.

“Calm down, Your Highness.” Gilbert comforted him as he shoved Dimitri back to bed. “Everything will be alright.”

“Wh-What are you talking about? Felix is waiting for me, I can’t let him suffer anymore. I must return to his side.” He muttered, sounding a bit gibberish and disoriented.

“You have been asleep for three days, Your Highness,” Ashe told him. “You slept throughout your journey back here.”

“Felix is doing alright,” Gilbert added on. “The archbishop used the flower to heal him. She said the poison has been removed and all he needs is to spend some time to rest and recover.”

Dimitri sunk back onto his bed, letting out a sigh in relief. Felix is alright, Felix will be alright. He wished that he could go find Felix in his room but the exhaustion from battle was still having its hold on him. He decided that he should get some rest before he could care about anything else. In the end, he ended up falling into a dreamless slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case you are wondering, the assassin who led the soldiers is Metodey (obvious) and some enemies behind the scene probably planned on getting the Sword of the Creator in their hands, but that would be answers for another time.  
> Platinum hair Dimitri, I wonder how will that look on him? I sometime thought it look good on him, lol. But then is it actually ok for him to have another hair colour?


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri helped Felix with the recovery process. Things had been going on well until when Morfis Island is invaded by mysterious army, all good things will eventually come to an end...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little warning beforehand, character death occur at the end of this chapter. Though the death scene is not explicitly mentioned, you may skip starting the paragraph 'The dark cloud and magic finally ceased...' if you are uncomfortable with character death scene.

The archbishop was delighted at his performance on completing the trial. Not only had he managed to unlock the true power of the sword, but he had also received a revelation from the goddess. Later, Hanneman gave him a body scan and told him that a second crest manifested within him. The mark had probably reacted to the Sword of the Creator and changed into a crest stone that now resided in him. It was obvious that he was excited at the discovery. After all, the crest was believed to have been lost in history.

But Dimitri could care less about all the attention. He was still concerned about Felix’s health. It was true that the illness plaguing him had been removed from his system, but he had still yet to recover. Rhea said that she had done all she could to save him, but whether he made it through depended on Felix himself, and the progress itself could take some time. Rodrigue was more than grateful for the cure, but he could tell the man had worries, for he always stayed by Felix’s side. 

It was just like the previous few days, Dimitri went to visit Felix in his room. He brought along a few stalks of iris with him as a blessing for Felix to get better. Ashe told him that Felix liked blue or white coloured flowers and he would try to get his hands on them whenever he went to the garden or the greenhouse before going to visit Felix.

He expected to find Felix unconscious on his bed, but his eyes told him otherwise the moment he opened the door. Felix was sitting up on bed, looking pale and tired but the slight red tinge on his cheeks reassured Dimitri that Felix will be alright and was making progress with his recovery. “F-Felix… You’re awake…” He said finally when their eyes met.

Felix took on a moment as he looked Dimitri up and down. “Dimitri… Is that you?” he asked, blinking his eyes. “Have you returned? You look…”

“I’m not sure myself…” Dimitri scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “I almost got killed during the mission but then suddenly there was some sort of energy surged through me and I found myself like this…” He placed the iris into a vase on the table. Dried petals scattered over the table and onto the ground, but he could care less about cleaning them. “But what matters is I have returned and am alive as well. I’m just glad to see that you’re doing alright.”

“I would never forgive you if you never return back alive!” Felix huffed. He tried to look intimidating but his body failed him. “After all, you promised me that you won’t throw your life away, so you better not break that promise!”

“But I have returned as promised, have I not?” Dimitri smiled a little as he sat next to Felix in bed. “Well, maybe I have changed, but I am still me. I had promised you that I would return alive to save you.” He reached out and stroked Felix by the cheeks. “You have gotten better, that’s a good thing. They said that you had been unconscious for more than a week even after being healed.”

Felix sunk into bed with a sigh. “I will not give up on my life easily, no matter how hard it is.” He did not fight back when Dimitri held his hand, sharing some warmth with him. “But recovery is a long road ahead. I’m not sure if I can manage this alone.”

“I will stay by your side.” Dimitri comforted him. “I will be there for you all along the way.”

* * *

For the next few days, Dimitri would stay by Felix’s side and nursed him back to health. Eventually, Felix found himself the will to stand up and walk around, but he would collapse when he walked too far and Dimitri would (gladly) carry him back to bed. There were times when Felix was too tired to leave his room, so Dimitri would bring him flowers and food and tell him stories about what happened throughout the day to keep him entertained. Ashe and Arden would later joke at them saying that Dimitri had become like a caretaker to Felix.

One month after the mission at Zanado, Felix’s health had improved significantly. He had gotten tired staying in bed for too long, so he asked Dimitri to spar with him for a bit to polish his skills, stating that his skills were getting rusty for staying away from training for too long. But Dimitri would try to hold back, worrying that his strength would break the man.

On one sunny day of the Ethereal Moon, Felix asked Dimitri to accompany him for a walk in the church. After having to avoid the sun for months, Felix embraced the sensation of walking under the sunlight once more. The warm weather of Morfis Island allowed the plants to thrive despite the cold northern wind. Dimitri smiled when he saw children running around the garden chasing each other, their feet crunching the fallen leaves as they ran.

“How much time has passed since you arrived here?” Felix brought up the question. “The season has changed, and yet, some things have remained the same.” He said, stroking a rose that just bloomed.

“I’m still the same,” Dimitri said. “You’ve remained the same as well. The only difference is that you have gotten healthier.”

“It seems like you’ve gotten better in smooth-talking.” Felix scoffed. “I still remember that boar that resides in you. But I guess you managed to survive the ordeal in Zanado, because you’re a boar. And your appearance has changed since I first met you.”

“You can say this is part of me,” Dimitri said, a bit awkwardly. “I’m still a bit unsure about this new power of mine. Professor Hanneman said a second crest appeared in me and the Sword of the Creator as well. It's gotten really complicated.” He looked at the back of his palm, the mark of flame had disappeared but he could feel the crest in his body, its power flowing in his bloodstream together with his own Blaiddyd crest.

“The Sword of the Creator is a relic. I had always thought that it was just a legend, but you actually found and wielded it. Could there be some meaning behind it?”

“I don’t know…” Dimitri muttered. “But since the archbishop entrusted the sword to me, I have to use it wisely. I must stay true to myself when using this power.”

“It may take time to get used to something new,” Felix agreed, his voice unusually low. “I just hope that you stay true to yourself and use your power properly…”

* * *

One particular afternoon, Dimitri went to the cathedral alone and immersed himself deep in thoughts. Rodrigue had dragged Felix away, saying that he was hoping for some father and son bonding time. Many thoughts crossed his mind, the situation in Faerghus, the happenings in the church and his newfound power. They were just too many, too complicated, and he was indecisive on his next course of action. Part of him wished that he could stay here forever and turn himself away from whatever trouble that was plaguing Fodlan right now, but it did not feel right leaving things the way it was. He just didn’t know what to do.

Just then, Ashe came running into the cathedral. He seemed out of breath, as if he had been running for quite a while. “Dimi… I mean, Your Highness, I finally found you,” he said, while trying to even out his breathing. “Everyone is looking for you.”

“Ashe, what happened? You look like you have been running quite a while now.”

“A Pegasus knight arrived at the church. She claimed that she was from Faerghus and that she was looking for its prince. I believe she must be looking for you,” Ashe told him. 

Dimitri could only remain dumbfounded at the revelation, did that mean he had been found out? What would a knight want out of him, let alone travel all her way here just to find him? 

“She wished to see you immediately.”

Thousands of thoughts raced in his mind as his mind tried to digest what had happened. He couldn’t even remember following Ashe to the guest’s resting room and meeting the knight himself. A young woman was in the room sipping some tea as he entered. Her green eyes lit up the moment Dimitri walked into the room and Dimitri realized that she wasn’t an ordinary knight. It was Ingrid herself.

“Your Highness, I’m so glad to see that you’re alright.” Ingrid spoke in relief when he finally took a seat across her. “You look like you have been through a lot. And... you have also changed…” she said, noting his hair and appearance.

“Don’t you speak as if you know me. I’m no longer a prince, just a wandering beast craving for blood,” Dimitri said. “After everything that has happened, the only thing I have been doing is fighting to survive.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude.” Ingrid sighed. “We barely had time to react when things happened in Fhirdiad, and then we had our hands full trying to maintain order in our territory. I had always knew that Sylvain seemed to be hiding something, but he refused to tell me anything when I asked him about you, until recently. Everyone is worried about you.”

“There must be a reason you came all your way here,” Dimitri said monotonously. “I bet it must be something to do with the kingdom, isn’t it? There’s no way I will be returning to Faerghus with you, that place is dead to me, so is their royal family.”

“But Dimitri, Faerghus is now on the brink of collapse. The people need you in times like this,” Ingrid said. “Not only has Faerghus been torn inside, but there are also threats looming outside that could worsen the country’s instability.”

Just then, Gilbert walked into the room, followed by Rodrigue and Felix. “Your Highness, we heard some commotion in here. Did something happen?” Gilbert asked, before his eyes raised in recognition when he saw Ingrid. “You must be the daughter of Count Galatea. Had something brought you all the way here?”

“I have come here searching for His Highness.” Ingrid said. “The Kingdom of Faerghus is in the brink of collapse and war is threatening to break out within Fodlan.”

“It looks like our worst fears are happening.” Rodrigue heaved a sigh and shook his head. Ingrid raised an eyebrow when she finally noticed Rodrigue and Felix who were standing behind Gilbert. Her expression morphed into that of a surprise.

“Rodrigue… I-I mean, Lord Rodrigue, I never thought I’d see you here. And… Felix, why are you here?” She addressed them in shock. Dimitri noticed Felix’s eyebrow rise in recognition at the sight of her, but he quickly concealed it with his signature scowl. Is Ingrid acquainted with them? And did she just address Rodrigue as Lord Rodrigue?

“It’s better you learn about the answers to your questions later,” Felix quickly spoke up. “I bet what you’re trying to tell us is more urgent.”

“Ah, yes… Right, about what I was saying.” She quickly kept up her knightly composure as she informed them what had happened in the kingdom. “The kingdom has been in shambles, torn inside out by corrupted nobles,” she told them. “Grand Duke Rufus was found dead a few months ago, there’s no proper explanation behind his death. Cornelia announced that with the royal family wiped out, she will be the one to rule Faerghus. She worked together with a league of corrupted nobles and began tearing the kingdom apart.”

“Cornelia actually turned upon us!” Gilbert frowned at the news. “I should’ve known better than to trust her. I bet she is the one responsible for the regent’s death.”

“My father and Sylvain’s father suspected the same, but there was hardly any evidence suggesting she did it. She must have carefully crafted her method to kill the Grand Duke so that no one could trace it,” Ingrid continued. “Aside from that, a number of nobles who opposed Cornelia have been executed and replaced with her own men. She literally has the western part of the kingdom under her control. The people of Faerghus are now left with nothing to fend themselves.”

“Those dastards…” Rodrigue cursed under his breath. “If only I could ride into the battle just once more.”

“Although House Charon, House Galatea and House Gautier had been resisting the kingdom forces, riots continued to break out throughout Faerghus. It will only be a matter of time when one side is defeated.” Ingrid continued. “Alongside that, we have also received troubling news from the empire.”

“Is the empire declaring war across Fodlan?” Gilbert asked.

“Emperor Edelgard has gone missing and the mysterious Flame Emperor usurped the throne, and began taking the reins of the empire. He has begun his conquest across Fodlan,” Ingrid told them. “Cornelia, under the guise of avoiding conflict, ended up submitting the kingdom to the empire and claimed to rule under the empire’s direct orders. We could barely resist Cornelia and her forces, and with the empire’s forces on her beck and call, there’s no way we can stand a chance against them.”

“First, the Grand Duke. Now Cornelia and then, the Flame Emperor. It all sounds like a scheme just to take Faerghus in their control. They’ve really caught us off guard with their tactics,” Gilbert said. “But that doesn’t mean that we can just sit around idly while letting them ruin the kingdom. We must take action immediately and fight back.”

“Hold on, Gilbert,” Rodrigue interjected. “It is true the kingdom is in dire situation, but we can’t just simply rush in and stand against them. They had been planning this attack against us for a long time, so they would’ve anticipated our movements and plotted a counterattack. It won’t do us any good to march to our own deaths.”

“Hey boar,” Felix called out to Dimitri who had been quiet during the entire time. “Say something, wouldn’t you? The kingdom needs you more than ever. Are you just going to sit here quietly and let the kingdom fall?”

“I have said many times that I don’t care about returning to the kingdom,” Dimitri insisted. “Faerghus is dead to me, so is the prince. That is no place for me to return.”

“Your Highness, the people and the kingdom needs you,” Rodrigue tried to persuade him. “You are the only one who can stop the traitors and restore order within the kingdom. All of us here are willing to help you.”

“I said I’m not returning!” Dimitri snapped back. “What’s the point of returning back to the kingdom? Father. Dedue. Everyone who has died.They will not rest until I bring the heads of those responsible for such atrocities. If I can do that, only then can they be free of their suffering.” With a huff, he turned and walked away.

“He has always been like that whenever we brought up the topic about returning to the kingdom.” Felix sighed. “Even after so much time, that skull of his is still as stubborn as ever.”

The meeting adjourned without reaching a conclusion. Seteth had arranged a room for Ingrid and some of the Pegasus knights who followed her on the journey to stay for the night. She requested to speak with Felix, but he refused and ignored all her questions as he left to search for the boar.

* * *

The next morning, Felix found Dimitri in the cathedral. Even after completing his grand trial, Dimitri still retained some of his feral behaviour. Today was one of those times. He stood by the altar, eyes listlessly staring into the shadows and occasionally muttering some incoherent nonsense.

“You’re up early. Do you get some sleep at all?” Felix scowled at him.

“I don’t think I can find myself to sleep…” Dimitri said, a bitter smile on his lips.

“Are you having nightmares again?” Felix pressed on. “Or is it about what Ingrid told you today?”

“She has been urging me to return back to the kingdom, Gilbert and Rodrigue also told me the same thing. But I don’t know what to do…” Dimitri muttered. “I know that it is my duty as the prince of Faerghus to return back to his homeland and reclaim his birthright, but I fear for the future.”

“Is it about the ghosts who have been pestering you?”

“It is complicated to say.” Dimitri sighed. “That place has many of my memories, those of my childhood, my parents, my friends… At the same time, it is also a place filled with pain, betrayal and death.” He turned to face Felix. “All these experiences are what made me today. I am afraid of returning back to the kingdom, because I am afraid of my father, stepmother and fallen ones haunting me. I fear that I am not a worthy king for the people. I have abandoned them, left them to suffer and let the country fall into ruins… Someone who has turned his back against his people could never be accepted again.”

“So are you just going to let the fear reign over you?” Felix questioned. “You’re a beast. You have overcome so many obstacles, lived through the toughest time and came all the way here. And yet, you’re just going to let your power go to waste because of your fears?”

“It’s ironic, isn’t it?” Dimitri managed a sad laugh. “I’m a beast, a monster craving for blood. And yet… I cannot even bring myself to face what was before me. I’m so pathetic.”

“You don’t have to cling on the dead, they are different from the living. Why cling on to the past when you have the future? If you do not let go, you are just going to blind yourself with the past. Is this what you truly want?”

“Is there anything I can even look forward to? The future does not exist for me. I have lived for the death, for the sake of avenging those who died. If I can accomplish at least that, maybe those who died do not have to suffer anymore.”

“The dead do not suffer, nor would they acknowledge your deeds.” Felix corrected him. “They said that if you truly honour the memories of the dead, you must live on for their sake.”

“Don’t speak as if you understand the dead,” Dimitri said with a low growl. “You don’t even know how much they suffered in their last moments.”

“That’s not what I mean…” Felix was about to argue back, but his words were cut short when Rodrigue came running into the cathedral. Felix knew that his father had aged, but the man was stubborn in the battlefield and was a renowned warrior. To see him looking so tired and out of breath, something terrible must’ve happened.

“Your Highness, Felix, I’m glad to find the two of you here.” He panted a bit as he tried to catch his breath.

“Don’t push yourself, old man. How are you going to wield your lance if you’re already this tired?” Felix teased him a bit.

“Save the jokes for later. There are some things we need to take care of,” Rodrigue said. “The archbishop has called for anyone who was capable of fighting.”

“What happened, Rodrigue?” Dimitri inquired.

“The knights reported about a group of mysterious soldiers marching in the streets of Morfis Island,” Rodrigue said. “Their identity and motives are unknown, but they seem to be targeting the church. Although they are not large in numbers, reports said they wield fearsome magic and had demonic beasts in their disposal.”

“The soldiers actually control demonic beasts? That is something unheard of.” Felix perked up at the report. “For what reason do they have for marching towards the church?”

“We do not know why, but we can’t let them trample the church ground. The archbishop has sent the knights to evacuate the people, but we need to defend the church from possible attack.”

“I will go then,” Dimitri said, rising to full height. “We cannot let those monsters hurt innocent people.”

When they rushed into the main gates of the church, soldiers were already stationed in preparation of an attack. Seteth and some of the higher ranking knights were dispatching soldiers to their respective position while ensuring that all preparations were readied. Civilians living close by the church were being evacuated into the church fortress.

“I see that you had arrived.” Rhea forced a smile when she saw Dimitri. “I’m sorry to ask for your help, but we need as much help as we can to defend the church.”

“Those people are here to hurt the innocents. I must see to it that they are punished.” Dimitri said, tightening his hold on the Sword of the Creator.

“Don’t get carried away,” Seteth warned them. “The enemies look like the ones who attacked us back at Zanado and there’s no telling what sort of trick or tactics they have up their sleeves. Please be careful when engaging them.”

Ingrid came running to them, a number of Pegasus knights following behind her. “I think I recognize them,” she said, feeling a bit uncomfortable. “The resistance army has been attacked by some mysterious soldiers back at the kingdom. I’m afraid they must’ve followed me here…”

“Now is not the time to lament about it. We must do what we can to defend the church and the people,” Gilbert said. “Rodrigue and I already have our men stationed at the west and east wing of the church. But I fear the main army may try to storm through the main entrance.”

“We cannot let them taint our sacred ground,” Rhea said adamantly. “As archbishop, I order all of you to defend the Church of Aegle, stop those who dare to trample on this holy ground!”

“Are you going to fight too, Felix?” Rodrigue asked Felix in concern. “You have just recovered from your illness. It’s best that you stay away from the front line.”

“Somebody has to watch over the boar,” Felix said. “I am the only one capable of stopping him from running rampage in your absence.”

A grim expression crossed Rodrigue’s face. He could not tell whether he was worried or concerned, but he felt reassured that his father still cared about him after all this time. “Please take care of yourself, Felix. I don’t want you to get hurt again. You may join the battle, but please watch out for yourself as well.”

* * *

There was a blast coming from one of the entrances and soldiers’ cries were heard as the battle broke out in the church’s perimeter. The enemies consisted not only of mysterious soldiers and mages, but also a handful of beasts. The frontline soldiers held on their defences against the main force. Mages and archers attacked from behind while knights on cavalry took down any enemies attempting to breach their defence.

Dimitri stood in the frontline as he swung the Sword of the Creator to cut down any enemies crossing his path. Felix stood behind him, his sword was imbued with thunder magic to take down any enemies from a distance. Lysithea and Ashe stood a bit further behind as they used their long ranged attack to snipe down fliers and some flying demonic beasts. He could hear Ingrid let out a battle cry as she intercepted with one of the fliers. Marianne covered for her by knocking out an archer with a magic attack.

Felix swung his sword and took down an enemy cavalier before turning around to keep an eye on Dimitri. Something caught his eyes as he looked further away in a distance. Somewhere in the enemies’ ranking, he saw someone familiar standing in among them giving command. That man was dressed in black, one of his eyes was so black as if it was void itself. “The one that is commanding the army, is it that mage over there?” he asked, pointing towards the black man standing behind. “Doesn’t he look familiar?”

“Can it be? Isn’t he the one responsible for what happened in Herveil Village?”

When the number of enemies began to dwindle down, the knights began to push forward in an attempt to get rid of them. Dimitri came face-to-face with the commander. “You… You are Solon, the one responsible for what happened in Herveil Village, aren’t you?” he asked the man. “What do you want?”

“It is none of your business,” the man snarled at him. “The only thing I want to do is to kill you and pry the Sword of the Creator from your dead hands.” He fired a beam of magic towards Dimitri, but he managed to dodge it.

“You’re a monster! You don’t even care about the people’s suffering and the deeds you have done,” Dimitri roared back. “I will kill you myself for those who died!”

An enemy mage hurled a ball of fire towards him. It narrowly grazed past his waist as he jumped aside to avoid it. From afar, Felix threw his sword towards the mage and killed him, allowing Dimitri to have his attention on Solon. The Sword of the Creator glowed with power as he charged forward. Solon fired a ball of magic towards him but he easily deflected the attack with a swing of his blade. He then extended his blade, using its sharp tip to subdue Solon.

The enemies were not large in numbers, and they were quickly subdued on all sides. The knights managed to restrain Solon and bind his hands. Dimitri pointed his sword towards Solon as he questioned him. The rest of them watched on. “Tell me, what did you do in Herveil Village? Why did you kill the innocent people there?”

“You have no right to know about this,” Solon snarled at him. “Anyone who learnt about the darkness will tell nothing but death.”

“Answer my question!” Dimitri demanded. “Are you working with the Flame Emperor? Why do you attack the church?”

“You have a lot of questions, don’t you?” Solon let out a low chuckle. “But I’m afraid I’m not in the same league as the Flame Emperor. All I want is to have my revenge on those who turned against us and shunned us into the dark.”

“What are you talking about?!”

“After so many years hiding in the dark, we have finally found what we have been looking for! The Church of Aegle must be destroyed, and the world will finally be free from those wretched beasts!” Solon let out a laugh. “What happened in Herveil Village is just the beginning of the end. Once victory is ours, we will control the mortals with power!”

“Your Highness, maybe we should lock him up for further questioning,” Gilbert suggested. “This man over here seems to have some twisted fantasy.”

“That is our best bet.” Rodrigue nodded in agreement. “We have seen how capable he was with magic and it’s better to get him locked up if we wanted more answers.”

“Are you thinking of locking me up?” Solon jeered and laughed like a mad man. “You can never lock me up, and I will never tell you the answers you wanted.” Without even a wave of his hand, he vanished suddenly.

“Come back here!” Dimitri roared as he looked around. Solon appeared before him moments later, his hands free from restraint. The knights tried to knock him down, but he knocked them out with his magic.

“You know that I don’t need to use my hands to kill you.” Solon mocked him. “I can just spell your death with my lips.”

“Cowards, monsters like you don’t have dignity. I will have to kill you myself!” Dimitri swore as he charged towards Solon. Rodrigue and Gilbert called out to him but their words fell deaf in his ears.

Solon continued to mock Dimitri as he lured Dimitri onto a mysterious tile. As soon as Dimitri stepped onto the circle, a trap was activated and Dimitri found himself surrounded by dark magic.

“What is that?” Ashe asked pointing towards the sky, noting black clouds began to appear out of nowhere. Lysithea blinked a while before she called out, “That was a trap! Everyone, take cover!”

“I told you before. If you try to look into the darkness, you will be killed. But since you’re so adamant about wanting to know, you will have to pay the price,” Solon said. “I shall now release the forbidden spell upon those wretched beasts and wipe them out from this world!”

Dimitri struggled to get out of the darkness that was enveloping him—the force had an iron fist on him, rooting him to the spot. Black arrows began to rain from the black clouds, hitting the ground below. Soldiers screamed as they were pelted by the magic arrow, which paralyzed them and caused them to fall on the ground. The buildings that were hit were destroyed under the arrow’s destructive force. One of the arrows hit Dimitri’s sword arm which rendered him unable to attack.

“Dimitri!” Felix called out. He tried to move forward, but a wound he sustained on his thigh in the earlier battle made his movement hard. His weapon broke during the battle just now and he did not have the energy to summon more spells.

“Your Highness!” He heard his father called out. Maybe he was slow, but he had never seen his father run so fast before. The old man ignored the black arrows that rained upon them as he used his white magic to dispel some of the attacks. He ran forward and shoved Dimitri aside before the dark magic consumed him.

“Rodrigue!” He heard the boar called out. There was a scream, but he could not tell whether it was his or his father. Solon was taken aback when he noticed his plans had backfired. Ashe quickly saw this as an opportunity to shoot him down and fired an arrow that hit Solon on the arm. Ingrid followed by throwing her spear, finally killing him.

As the man in black collapsed and laid dying, he muttered those final words. “It doesn’t matter… Thales will continue with our mission…”

The dark cloud and magic finally ceased, but the injury done on Rodrigue was too deep to be saved. Dimitri scrambled forward and knelt by his side as he called out. “Rodrigue, please don’t die! This is all my fault!” Felix limped forward, taking in his father’s broken body.

“Your Highness, I’m glad you’re safe…” Rodrigue muttered with his dying breath. “I’m so glad that everything was not in vain…”

“Please don’t die! Father, stepmother, all of them left me alone in this world.” Dimitri broke down into sobs as he desperately called out for the man. “Are you going to join me with the ranks of ghosts and haunt me? This is my fault after all, I should’ve died.”

“Don’t say such a thing, Your Highness…” Rodrigue managed a weak smile. “You have done nothing wrong… I did this because it is the path I believe, and I have no regrets in dying for what I believe in…” He reached out a hand to stroke Dimitri’s cheeks. “Your life is yours to live… You don’t have to live for the sake of others, live for what you believe in, Dimitri…” His strength eventually slipped away and his hands fell limp onto the ground.

Felix came up next to them, his expression unreadable. Dimitri could see that he was trying to keep his emotion in check. “Father… You dumb old man…” He muttered weakly.

“I’m sorry, Felix…” Rodrigue wheezed. “For leaving you, and everything I had done…”

What happened next was literally a blur to them. Their bodies were wet from being drenched from the rain, but they could not even bother leaving the place. Meanwhile, the entire church seemed to have quieted down as if grief and mourning had swarmed the place…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there is another change in the plot. I just felt bad for writing something that kills off the mood instantly, but I can't help it >< I would've separate this chapter into two but I felt like I am complicating things, so I just decided to make this chapter short and straight forward. The next chapter will be an important turning point for this fic.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The entire church mourned for their fallen comrades.  
> Dimitri made some discovery left behind by Rodrigue and Felix finally reveal what he has been hiding. Dimitri learned the truth and made a new resolve.

The entire church fell into deep mourning as the archbishop called for the dead to be given a proper burial. Dark coloured clothing draped over the church windows and flooring in honour of those that had perished. Victory was hard won and the church remained standing but at the cost of a number of lives. Rhea intended to hold a public mourning for the fallen knights, but Seteth advised her against it as he was worried that the enemy could be at large, seeking a chance to attack them. In the end, the dead were just buried hastily without giving much of a tribute or vigil and Rodrigue was among them.

Dimitri felt hollow, as if he had been thrown down a bottomless pit that he could never get up from. He had been fighting, in pursuit of power and yet he felt so powerless. He was so vulnerable that he can’t even protect those he cared for. With Rodrigue gone, there was little reason for him to live on. But then, Rodrigue's dying words echoed in his mind, telling him to live his life the way he believed. That thought had never crossed his mind, he couldn’t even fathom what it meant to live life in his own accord.

He did not leave his room until his hunger called out to him, begging for food to fill his empty stomach. He only dropped by the dining area for a short while to pick up something to eat, trying to avoid the crowd as much as possible.

Black has become a colour for the church. Most of the church members wore black or dark coloured robes as a sign of mourning their fallen friends. He could hear the prayers being performed from the cathedral, a requiem for the deceased. The corridors of the church had lost its livelihood, children were nowhere to be seen, and the usual chatter had been reduced to soft murmur and whisper. Dimitri dragged himself back to his room, only to find Felix’s cousin in the room.

“Ah… Your Highness, is there anything I can help you with?” Arden straightened up when he saw Dimitri, stopping whatever chores he was doing.

“N-No… Uh, it’s nothing,” Dimitri managed to say. He took a look at the room, noting that the layout of the room was different from his room. “I think I must’ve walked into the wrong place. S-Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay, Your Highness. I’m just glad to see that you have finally left your room.” Arden forced a small smile. “I was just trying to clear out some of my uncle’s possessions, but it’s never easy.”

Dimitri looked around the room. There were some weapons being placed at the corner of the room, on the table were stacks of books about history, politics and magic. Arden opened a storage box filled with letters and some other belongings. “I believe my uncle would want Felix to have some of these possessions,” Arden said, picking up a sword. The blade looked blunt on the edges, but if it was given some polish, it could be usable again.

“He has a lot of letters with him,” Dimitri commented, casually picking up one of them. “Who was he corresponding to?” He pulled out a letter and scanned its content, eyes widening up at the process. “W-Wait… This… How could this be?” He reached out to pick up another letter and saw that the letter was dated back to year 1167. The sender of the letter was King Lambert, his own father! There was also another letter signed by Margrave Gautier.

“Your Highness?” Arden asked.

Dimitri put down the letter and stared at the man before him. “Tell me.” He spoke up. “Who was Rodrigue? And what relations does he have with Faerghus?”

Arden did not look the least bit surprised at his question. The man kept his expression neutral as he processed Dimitri’s questions. “I don’t think I have the answers to your questions,” he said after a while. “But I believe there must be a reason why my uncle kept all these. He was probably trying to tell you something.” He then handed Dimitri a thick leather book. The leather cover had worn out, but it was very much well kept. “You should talk to Felix if you can. I would hate to see him shoulder all the burden on his own.”

* * *

Year 1167, Day 23 of the Great Tree Moon

It’s a fine weather in Fhirdiad today. Thank the Goddess that the first ray of spring is finally here in the Kingdom. The children seemed happy to be allowed to play outside today. I had always worried that Felix had gotten gloomy being stuck inside. He seems to have a great time playing with the prince, seeing the two of them rolling about in the castle garden reminded me of my youth with Lambert.

Year 1171, Day 24 of the Great Tree Moon

Cornelia introduced His Majesty to Lady Anselma, who is now known as Lady Patricia. His Majesty seems to like her a lot and tells me about wanting to give Dimitri a mother. I respect His Majesty’s decision for wanting to give Dimitri a proper family, and I understand his need of protecting Lady Patricia’s identity from the court. Still, Lady Patricia looked as if she was hiding something…

Year 1176, Day 18 of Garland Moon

I have never seen the kingdom in such chaos before. In just one day, the kingdom has lost its king, and his entourage were all massacred during their trip to Duscur. The only remnants of my eldest son was his sword and armour. He died a true knight. Everything was going along well, so why did this happen all of a sudden? It tore me to see His Highness in such a state, having to experience bloodshed at such a young age is too cruel. 

Year 1182, Day 10 of Lone Moon

There was another assassination attempt on the Crown Prince. With the situation of the kingdom, I fear that it will be a matter of time everything will collapse. The Grand Duke has decided to send Dimitri away to Arianrhod Castle to protect him against the assassination attempt. While I understand that it is important to protect him, but sending him to Arianrhod is too much of an isolation, especially in a place so far away. Apart from that, Felix has gotten ill and the perpetrators have not been caught. I fear for the safety of both His Highness and the future of the kingdom.

Year 1182, Day 15 of Harpstring Moon

Lord Lonato of House Gaspard was killed in a rebellion in Fhirdiad. Yet, things are not going kindly for us. Felix’s condition has worsened and I fear I have gotten in the way of the Grand Duke. But what has happened cannot be undone and I must protect what is left of my family. I have to take Felix and the rest of my family away from the kingdom.

* * *

Later that night, Dimitri found Felix at the cemetery, gazing at the tomb that was probably Rodrigue’s resting place, with a single white flower on his palm. He watched on as Felix concentrated his magic onto the flower, causing it to glow and stem began to sprout out from the flower. Dimitri watched in awe as Felix swayed his hand around, tendrils curled around his wrist and palm as if the flower was growing into a plant. Felix did not stop there as he focused his magic on his creation, letting the leaves grow and fan out wide before more flowers bloomed to join the first one. But then, his concentration waned and the flowers and leaves began to dry and fall off from the stalk. Felix let out a hiss when the dried stem pricked his skin before falling off from his hand. The only one remaining was the original flower he once held.

“What are you doing here, boar?” Felix turned around and faced him with a scowl. The single flower on his hand remained vibrant, blooming with a mystical glow.

“I figured I would find you here…” Dimitri muttered, the book in his hand felt heavy all of a sudden.

“I was just paying a tribute to my father.” Felix turned away, refusing eye contact with him. “He mentioned that he wished to see me perform some magic… But I always refused… And now, I have yet to fully master it…”

“I’m sorry about it…”  _ This is my fault _ , he wanted to say but he found himself unable to do so.

“If you’re here to apologize about my father, then please stop it. Apologizing won’t bring the dead back to life, nor does it change a thing,” Felix lashed out. 

“I understand how you feel, but I believe I owe you an apology,” Dimitri said. “I have dragged everyone with me, causing nothing but suffering.”

“As I said, apologizing won’t solve anything. If you truly understand how I feel, how do you intend on repenting my father’s death?”

“I don’t know…” Dimitri shook his head. “But I felt that your father was trying to tell me something.” He showed Felix the leather book on his hand. “I believe that the only person closest to him is you, I was wondering if you mind telling me about what had happened.”

“You really don’t remember anything, don’t you?” Felix rolled his eyes. “My father must feel humiliated knowing that you don’t remember him after all he did for you.” He went to place the single flower on Rodrigue’s grave before turning back to face him.

“Are you saying that there’s something more between us? Had we actually met before that?”

“W-Well, it’s a long story…” Felix said, his voice a hint of depression. “Do you really want to know?” Dimitri just gave a nod in response. “Let’s go to my room. We can talk about that in there.”

* * *

Back in Felix’s room, Felix showed him a plain dagger, on the blade of the dagger was engraved with the word ‘Lambert’. He also showed him a sword, the fine polished surface of the blade showcased the fine workmanship of the blacksmith. 

“Did that dagger once belong to my family? And that blade, is it the Sword of Zoltan?” Dimitri asked in awe.

“This dagger is a gift from the late King Lambert to my father during their youth,” Felix explained. “At first, my uncle wanted to bury it with my father but I decided to keep it as a keepsake of my father.”

“Are you saying that my father knew your father?” Dimitri asked again. Felix did not answer, instead he pulled out a miniature painting from his storage box. In the painting, there were four children aged not more than six. He recognized that the children in the painting were him, Sylvain, and Ingrid when they were young and from the background of it suggested that they were probably playing in the castle. But what caught his eyes was the remaining child, he looked smaller than the rest of them and had dark blue hair, his younger self had an arm draped over the boy’s shoulder as they laughed.  _ That can’t be… Felix? _ “Felix… Who are you?” he breathed in shocked.

“My name is Felix Hugo Fraldarius, son of Rodrigue Achilles Fraldarius,” Felix finally spoke. “The Fraldarius family once served as adviser and right-hand man to the king himself, but today the Fraldarius has lost everything, land, title and fortune. There’s nothing left of us now.”

Fraldarius? That name sounded so familiar, yet so distant. Dimitri can’t recall when he had heard of it. “Have we actually met before?”

“Our history began before I was even born,” Felix told him. “Your father and my father have been close friends since young. It is natural that they would want us to grow up alongside each other just like they did.”

“Together with Sylvain and Ingrid, we used to spend time in each other’s territory during the summer,” he continued, gazing at the picture in nostalgia. “Don’t you remember? The two of us once used to be inseparable. You would be there to comfort me when I cried and play with me to cheer me up.”

For Dimitri, his childhood was nothing but vague bleary images. Although he remembered his family and friends, pictures of those innocent days had been blurred by his desire for revenge. He tried to search deep in his memories, trying to dig up his childhood days. Somewhere, he recalled the time when he was six years old and was playing together with his friends in the manor expense garden. He later found Felix lodged on a tree branch, high up from the ground. He was amazed at the boy’s capability to climb a tree despite being so young. But then Felix started to cry and was too afraid to come down. Seeing that the adults were busy, Dimitri decided to take matters into his own and reassured Felix that he would catch him when he jumped down. Coaxing the younger child took a while, and Felix gained the courage to let himself fall off the branch onto Dimitri’s arms, only for him to push his weight onto the prince and cause the two of them to roll onto the ground. Felix then broke into tears and started to apologize for hurting Dimitri while the prince tried to comfort him and reassure him that he was alright.

“I think I remember now, my father used to visit somewhere up north from the capital. That must’ve been the place you lived, wasn’t it?” Dimitri muttered.

“Aside from the four of us, there was also Sylvain’s brother, Miklan, and my brother Glenn,” Felix continued. “I’m sure you remembered the time before Miklan turned to the dark side. He used to be a caring big brother and would spend time watching over us. And my brother, you used to look up to him as your own brother, in particular his intellect and skills in combat.”

“Your brother, is he…”

“Dead. Perished together with the late king during the Tragedy of Duscur,” Felix answered before he could finish his sentence. Dimitri could see tears threatening to spill out from his eyes, but he tried to fight against it. “I’m actually surprised that you did not remember him at all. You keep muttering about your father, as if his ghost was haunting you, but never my brother, has it really slipped off your mind?” 

Now that he thought about it, he did remember a young man with similar dark blue hair but older than Felix during his childhood. He would teach them how to swing a sword and even got them into some mischief. He remembered big strong hands giving him a pat on the head, praising him on his lance skills, saying that he had improved and was showing progress to become a great knight. Why didn’t the ghost of Glenn ever come to haunt him? He never knew, maybe everything was just his own delusional thoughts.

“At first, I was really sad about my brother’s death. That old man of mine heaped praise on him and said that he ‘died like a true knight’. It sounded like he didn’t care about Glenn at all,” Felix told him. “But what matters is that you are alive, and I thought that as long as you’re alive, then everything will be alright. I believe that my brother died so that you could live, and I told myself that I will protect you in my brother’s place, but then…”

“Let me guess, you saw what I had done during the rebellion, is that right?”

“Indeed.” Felix nodded. “Well, that was the first time we actually argued and split apart. You let your bloodlust run wild during the battle and killed many of the rebels in some of the most horrific ways. I witnessed everything and then something inside me just snapped.”

“Seeing you drenched in blood and enjoying every single moment. All I saw was a monster, a beast craving for blood. Immediately, I refused to become your knight as I thought that you were a beast wearing human’s skin. The Dimitri I knew was dead.” He continued. “We did not see each other until when we were enrolled into the monastery.”

Of course Dimitri remembered what happened during the Western Rebellion. Everything was going on well until his bloodlust kicked in, and he started slaughtering the rebels and spilling their blood. He had regretted doing such things, seeing that the rebels are normal human beings just like him. He did vaguely remember the time when he finally snapped out of his reverie, one of the knights yelled back at him, calling him a murderous beast craving for blood.

“Don’t you remember our school days?” Felix asked again. “I used to try to avoid you as much as possible back at the monastery. Yet, you would try to strike up a conversation with me whenever you can, but I would always shun you away.” He picked up the Sword of Zoltan and let Dimitri have his hand lingered on the blade briefly. “I once showed you this blade, do you remember? Back then, you asked me if you can have a better look on it, but I refuse to let you lay a finger on it.”

The monastery days were distant memories about his youth, the moments where he got to live young, wild, and happy before his life were to begin. He remembered he would spar with his friends in their free time back in those days. Felix in particular did not hold himself back when it came to combat training and he enjoyed Felix’s company all the time. At the end of the day, he and his classmates would gather in the dining halls and enjoyed a sumptuous meal as they joked and laughed into the night. The halls of the monastery were filled with their memories and joyous laughter.

“I guess you can say that good things take time to heal. In fact, I really enjoyed our time back at the monastery. Seeing you smile and laugh gave me some reassurance that everything would be alright and we would see things through eventually.” A faint smile appeared on Felix’s face as he reminisced about it. Dimitri took in the sight, his memories stirring up at the sight of the smile, reminding him of the time when he saw Felix smiled as a child, radiant and bright like the sun that melted the snow. “On one mission to eradicate bandits, you got injured trying to protect me during the battle. I thought what you did was stupid, but I realized that I don’t want to lose you. It is true I still dislike the beast personality that lies beneath you, but you are still the Dimitri I knew during my childhood and how you’re struggling to fight against the darkness that was trying to consume you. From that point onward, I decided that I would stay by your side and help you recover from whatever trauma you were suffering from.”

Dimitri had a wound he sustained on his left arm back in the monastery days. Back then, Felix got hit by a stray arrow, and a brigand intended to use this distraction to attack him. However, Dimitri reacted fast and shielded him, at the cost of his arm. The attack left a deep gash on his arms and he could not hold a weapon for weeks, and all that remained now was a faint scar on his bicep.

“That was a long time ago. And I was just doing something everyone would do, helping out each other,” Dimitri said in an attempt to comfort him. “You did nothing wrong, it is natural for friends to help each other.”

“Friends, huh?” Felix let out a chuckle. “I guess friends do fight from time to time. It was a test of our bonds against time.”

“What happened after that?” Dimitri pressed on.

“Our studies went on smoothly, and all of us managed to graduate,” Felix answered in the most direct way.

“But there’s more to it, isn’t there?” Dimitri pressed on. Felix batted him an eye, before deciding to comply with his wish.

“On the night of our graduation, a ball was held to celebrate the occasion. But both of us were never fond of such social functions, so you took me to the Goddess Tower to hide away from the crowd. There, you expressed your worries and concerns about the future. You worried that you were not fit to be the King of Faerghus, and you feared the darkness that would consume you should you not be able to hold yourself together. On that night, I made an oath that I would be by your side and share our burdens together, and you promised me that you would be a worthy king fitting for the kingdom and its people.”

_ “I hereby pledge my sword arm in your service, to remain loyal to your side through thick and thin.” _ Those words echoed in the back of his mind. He remembered those promises he made on that night in the tower. Felix, dressed in the monastery evening uniform looked stunning under the moonlight. It was both joyous and solemn at the same time. Knowing that a new arc of his life was beginning, there were so many things needed to be done, so much uncertainty. But at least he was content to be here with Felix, waltzing through their youth with the moon being their only witness, oblivious to the world outside.

“I cannot really remember what happened after that,” Dimitri said, rubbing the back of his head. “I was supposed to be crowned King of Faerghus on Wyvern Moon on the same year, but a heavy snowstorm hit Fhirdiad and the people were struck with poverty, so we have to cancel the plan. After that, there were several assassination attempts on me, but I cannot remember what happened aside from that.”

“Do you really want to know?” Felix asked in a low voice. “It probably won’t be a nice thing to listen to…”

* * *

_ Year 1182, Pegasus Moon _

“Your Highness, at least let me escort you on your walk,” Dedue called out to him. “After that incident last night, you mustn’t roam around unguarded.”

“Everything will be fine, Dedue,” Dimitri insisted. “I am just going on a walk in the garden compound. Besides, I am not alone, Felix will be accompanying me today.”

“Your Highness, your life is at stake. Anything could happen.”

“Just give up persuading me, Dedue. I am sick of being followed by the knights all around the place, I would appreciate it if you would give me some private space. Moreover, Felix is a capable knight himself, he is sufficient to protect me,” Dimitri persuaded him.

“If you insist, I won’t stop you,” Dedue said, having given up on persuading. “But I will at least keep a distance away from you. Don’t hesitate to call out for help if something happened.”

The cold wind of Pegasus Moon swept across Fhirdiad, covering the land in a thick blanket of snow. The trees were now barren, save for some pine trees. Still, some resilient flowers managed to blossom in the midst of the cold, of those were the lavender used to be the favourite of Dimitri’s mother and the Daphne flower said to be Queen Patricia’s favourite. Dimitri and Felix walked side by side as they strolled around the garden until they arrived at the pond in the centre of the garden.

“How are you feeling today, Felix?” Dimitri asked.

“It’s the same as always,” Felix muttered. “My father has been pestering me to attend council meetings and handle some of his work.”

“Sorry to drag you into this.” Dimitri frowned slightly. “But with my coronation coming up, I’m afraid there are many things we need to take care of.”

“You could’ve just asked for a simple ceremony rather than some lavish celebration,” Felix grumbled. “Moreover, there were some nobles sneaking around trying to get your head. You should worry about that.”

“I assure you, everything will be fine,” Dimitri said, trying to convince him. “The assassin managed to catch me off guard, but he has no chance of fighting against me.”

“But don’t you get it? They attack in the dark and calculate our every movement. That is what makes them dangerous. You may have gotten away today, but we will never know what they’re up to and it could happen anytime,” Felix said, worries etched on his brows. “My father did assign the knights to enforce their security around you, but we must never let down our guard.”

“I trust you, Felix. I trust you with my life,” Dimitri told him. “After all, I believe in your ability to keep me safe, so why don’t you allow me some moments of privacy with you?”

“But this is not about your privacy, it’s about your safety,” Felix exclaimed. “You’re the crown prince, going to be king. If something were to happen to you or the Blaiddyd bloodline, the kingdom will fall into chaos.”

“That makes it more of a reason why I must spend more of my time alone,” Dimitri said. “I do appreciate your help. I wouldn’t have made it this far, if it weren’t for you.” He mused for a while. “Speaking of which, your birthday is coming up. I thought that I should prepare a fitting gift for you. Is there anything I could get for you?”

“Are you listening to me at all?” Felix sighed in exasperation. “I don’t care about my birthday present. Don’t waste your money on something worthless. And please don’t try to change the topic.”

“But I felt that you deserve something good for all you have done,” Dimitri insisted. “Please, Felix, let me get you something you like.” He mustered up a pleading look towards the young lord. Felix scowled at the childish attitude but his face began to flush when the prince was looking at him like that.

“Fine, fine, I will think about it,” Felix finally relented. “But please promise me that you watch out for yourself. I don’t want to lose you again.”

Just then, a knight walked up to them and informed Dimitri that Rodrigue wished to talk to him about his coronation. Dimitri nodded and said he will follow the knight back into the castle. Before leaving, he promised he will meet Felix for a sparring session later in the afternoon.

Felix walked around the compound for a little while longer before deciding to return back. On his way back to the castle, he saw one of the kingdom's minor lords talking to some servants at the corner of the garden. The tree trunk did well to conceal them from being noticed but Felix can’t help feeling suspicious about him. He crept up and hid himself behind one of the trees and tried to listen to their conversation.

“This is what I was looking for. Powder extracted from daffodil buds imbued with forbidden dark magic,” he overheard the lord say. “This thing should be able to kill instantly, if not inflict lifelong illness on those that consume it.” He did not like the sound of it. It seemed like another assassination plan was ongoing, but how was he going to stop it? “Now we just need to find the right opportunity to carry it out.”

Felix followed behind the man in a distance. The lord walked into another secluded area just outside the castle where he met up with another man whom he assumed was a servant. Felix watched on as he saw the man handed the servant the bundle he received just now before speaking in a hushed tone. “Place this on the prince’s food later…” The rest fell on his deaf ears as he bolted away.

Felix did not care about listening to whatever plans the noble had in mind, his first priority was to find Dimitri, or his father to warn him about the plan. But both Dimitri and his father were occupied with a meeting session with the council, he had no other ways but to wait for the meeting to adjourn.

The council meeting didn’t end until late afternoon. Dimitri didn’t manage to meet Felix in the training ground as he was informed that one of Count Gideon's men, Viscount Harstal wished to meet him at the guest gazebo. The prince knew better that he needed to attend to his duties so he ended up going ahead to meet the viscount.

Viscount Harstal greeted him at the gazebo and the two of them conversed briefly. The viscount later called the servant to serve some treats. The servants hence brought out a sliced fruit that was a specialty to Gideon Territory, the Golden Apple, also said to be a fruit blessed by the goddess herself.

Just then, a knight informed him that the young lord Fraldarius had insisted on visiting him. Dimitri perked up to hear that Felix was looking for him and decided to allow him entrance.

“Felix, I’m just glad to see you.” Dimitri greeted him when Felix entered the gazebo. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to train with you, the meeting took longer than usual.”

Felix on the other looked as if he had worked himself to death, some strands of hair had fallen out from his bun and he looked like he had been running for a while. “I’m sorry to disturb you at this moment.” He managed to say, keeping his face straight. Dimitri asked him to take a seat and call the servant to serve him some tea.

“Is there anything you need?” Dimitri asked but Felix said that he can wait for him to finish his business with Viscount Harstal first. So Dimitri focused back his attention on the viscount as they chatted briefly while drinking some tea. Felix batted an eye at the plate of fruit that was being served on the table as he tried to come up with a plan. When the conversation seemed to die down a bit, Felix took this as his cue to speak.

“Is this the Golden Apple from Gideon Territory?” He asked the viscount, keeping his tone in check.

“Oh yes, it is a gift from Count Gideon himself.” The viscount laughed. “These fruits are rare to find in times like this. My lord thinks that gifting these to His Highness will help us secure for a peaceful future for the kingdom.”

“Is it okay if I have some of these?” Felix summoned up the courage to ask. “They look delicious.”

“Of course you can have some.” Dimitri smiled and shove the fruit platter in front of him. “There were a lot anyway and I don’t think I can finish all of it myself.”

Felix reached out to take a bite of the fruit, his face almost twisted into a grimace at the acrid flavour of the fruit. He managed to force himself to swallow it down before reaching out for another. “It’s… delicious,” he managed to say. “Can I have more of it?” He could see the viscount frowning at the corner of his eyes.

“Young lord, Count Gideon gave the fruit for His Highness, you cannot be greedy and take all for yourself.” The viscount chided.

“I do not mind about it, Viscount Harstal. It is just a fruit after all,” Dimitri said. “It’s good to see my friend having a good appetite today.”

“I asked it not because I wanted it, I asked it as a birthday gift,” Felix said. “You said you’d get me anything I want for my birthday. I think this would suffice…”

“Are you sure about it?” Dimitri asked in surprise. “That is unlike you to ask something so simple. I expect you would want something better than this.”

“I had told you, you don’t have to waste your gold on buying me some expensive gift. After all, didn’t they say this apple is rare and hard to find? I feel this good enough for me. I can take this as my advance birthday gift.” Felix convinced him as he ate another piece. He could feel the poison that was beginning to enter his system, yet he fought on as he ate another piece. He must not let Dimitri eat the fruit, no matter what.

In the end, Felix managed to scaff down the entire platter of fruit in less than twenty minutes. “Are you alright?” Dimitri asked in concern as Felix almost choked on the fruits. “I understand that you like it, but you don’t have to stuff everything in such haste. I had given word that this is all yours.”

“I’m fine…” Felix managed to reply back. He felt like throwing up the bile that was threatening to flow out from his throat but he fought back the urge and tried to maintain a neutral expression. “I just felt that I shouldn’t be disturbing your meeting with Lord Harstal. I should get going already.”

“Is there really nothing else?” Dimitri pressed on, unconvinced. “Surely you had a reason to come find me here, not just to eat on these fruits. Is there something you want to talk about with me?”

“Just… Forget about it.” Felix quickly came up with an excuse. “That thing can wait until tonight when we have more privacy. You are in a meeting after all, so I must not disturb you any longer. My father had left me some assignments that needed to be done. I will see you later then.” He literally ran away from the gazebo, not turning back at all. Dimitri was probably calling out for him but he continued to walk forward, away from his prince.

* * *

“So you took the poison that was meant for me?” Dimitri asked, shocked at the revelation. “If you know about the conspiracy, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Do you think that I could just walk up to you and said, ‘Don’t eat the fruit, it is poisonous!’? As far as I could tell, Count Gideon and Viscount Harstal were innocent on the matter, if I said that on the spot, that would be framing them. It would also do no good to the name of House Fraldarius.”

“But you don’t have to take it all by yourself.” Dimitri argued. “You almost paid your life for saving me.”

“It’s ironic, isn’t it?” Felix laughed bitterly. “I used to hate chivalry and think that blind servitude would only cost my life. But then, I actually traded my life for yours and would have died in service of the king.”

“Well, I guess that explains why you were so sick back then…” Dimitri sighed in disbelief.

“My father sent me away and kept my condition a secret from you,” Felix continued. “But then, assassination attempts continued to happen. In the end, the Grand Duke decided it was best that you hide away at Arianrhod Castle first until things calm down. No one but Dedue was allowed to accompany you. You were sent away all alone into the fortress.”

“What did my uncle do?” Dimitri asked again. “Had he done something to your family?”

Felix told him, while Dimitri was away from Fhirdiad, Rufus began to reform the country. But it did more bad than good, and living conditions in the kingdom worsened. Then, Lord Lonato of House Gaspard supported his people in a rebellion and marched to Fhirdiad in an attempt to oppose the Grand Duke’s policy, causing more chaos in the streets. Duke Fraldarius and Margrave Gautier and few other nobles led the soldiers to suppress the rebellion, They tried for a peaceful approach but Lord Lonato alongside with a number of civilians were killed during the confrontation.

“It is true that my father suppressed the rebellion, but it was his undoing,” Felix said. “The Grand Duke used it as an excuse to strip his title and turn over the council.”

According to Felix, the majority of the council supported Rodrigue because of his position as advisor to the king. The Grand Duke feared that if he provoked Rodrigue directly, the council would try to go against him. He used the rebellion as an excuse to plot against Rodrigue. He accused Rodrigue for supporting the rebellion and helping Lord Lonato in his plot, only to betray him as an act to convince the council. Of course, Margrave Gautier, Count Galatea, Count Charon, and some other nobles oppose his verdict, Rufus sent bandits to stir up trouble in their territories in response, threatening them that their people will rise against them if they tried to interfere with his plans. In the end, many of the nobles who were once loyal to King Lambert were replaced by Rufus’ men. House Fraldarius received the brunt of the blame and was stripped off its title and position in court, Their territory was annexed and became part of Itha Territory.

“I wouldn’t have survived this long if it weren’t for Gilbert and Sylvain,” Felix told him. “Gilbert and Margrave Gautier helped us secure an escape path out of the kingdom. During our time in exile, Margrave Gautier had been keeping us updated about the situation in the kingdom.”

“So those letters you have, Sylvain sent them to you?” Dimitri asked, referring to the pile of letters on Felix’s table.

“It helps keep me occupied,” Felix said. “Since my body will not allow me to train all day and learning magic is also rather tiring, I can at least count on Sylvain to keep me up to date of happenings in the kingdom. The only thing I miss is everything I once had back there.”

Dimitri understood how that felt about feeling all alone. In those three years’ time being isolated in Arianrhod was a torture for him. No visitor was allowed to visit him, he was not familiar with the guards in the castle and his only companion was Dedue. There are times when Ingrid and Sylvain would visit him, but always in the presence of the guards, it was likely that they were not allowed to tell him anything about what was happening. Rufus also deliberately kept him in the dark about matters in the kingdom, particularly on what happened to Felix and the Fraldarius. As time went on, his mind locked away the memories he had about Felix, Glenn, and Rodrigue.

“All of this happened to you because of me. I had caused you years of loneliness and suffering, this is all my fault,” Dimitri said, enveloping Felix in a hug. “For that, I am sorry for all the suffering you had to endure…”

“Don’t you apologize to me. Had I known such events would happen, I would have tried other ways instead rather than letting you fall into the path of darkness.” Felix hissed, but he did not push away Dimitri. “After all, you brought the cure and saved me from death. I guess that makes us even now.”

“It’s ironic, isn’t it?” Dimitri chuckled. “We were once inseparable, but then an argument broke us apart. Just when we thought we finally mended our relationship and decided to get together again, we got torn up just like that. Fate is cruel, isn’t it?”

“Life has never been easy,” Felix said, running his fingers through Dimitri’s hair. “But that doesn’t mean I will give up living. Breaking apart and rebuilding the past is part of living, I am just grateful that we are given another chance for us to live with our lives.”

“Please stop talking about what you would do for the death. It’s time you should live for yourself, don’t waste your purpose of living.” Felix said, grasping Dimitri’s hand. “Don’t let my father’s sacrifice go to waste.”

Dimitri smiled and held Felix in his embrace, one full of warmth and tenderness. “Thank you, Felix. Thank you for helping me to seek the light.”

* * *

It all started with a kiss, a light and gentle one. They didn’t stop for long as they crashed their lips again, this time longer and deeper as if seeking out the warmth from each other. Felix still tasted the same as the last time they first did it. Dimitri took a step back and the two of them fell onto bed. Clothes got discarded onto the ground as they tangled their bodies among the sheets.

Dimitri had Felix pinned on bed, his single eye taking in the sight of the man beneath him. Dark blue hair untangled from the bun and spilled over the pillow, his face flushed with all their kissing and how the incandescent light captured every soft edge of his pale skin. Felix was as beautiful as he last remembered. No, Felix’s beauty seemed more natural now that he no longer suffered from illness or having to use magic as a disguise.

Felix reached out a calloused hand and ran across Dimitri’s bare chest, admiring the scars and well-toned muscles exposed to him. He didn’t protest when Dimitri spread his legs, those large hands gave him some sense of comfort as he stroked him between the thighs. Dimitri was gentle with his hands as he prepared Felix, carefully seeking the spot that Felix used to enjoy. While enjoyable, Felix got impatient and let out a whine. Dimitri chose to ignore him as he continued with his work, planting his kiss on Felix’s face and neck whenever he made a noise.

“D-Dima… Take me…” Felix let out a whimper when he felt Dimitri’s hand hit him on the spot. That voice and nickname was more than enough to send Dimitri off the edge as he moved in to comply with the smaller man. Their bodies entwined together as they found each other, trying to take in most of the pleasure. Felix’s cries drove Dimitri to press on as he took pleasure in satisfying Felix until the two of them released the knot in bliss.

The prince collapsed on top of him, tired but sated. Felix groaned a bit before reaching out to wrap his arms around his prince, one combing through his hair and the other on his back. “Dima, ever since I left the kingdom, I have been all alone…” He muttered into his platinum locks. “My family, my friends, they're all gone… It was really painful being alone…” He felt Felix shake in his embrace and he reached out his arms to hold Felix in an attempt to comfort him. “Can you promise me that you will not leave me again? I don’t want to lose you again…”

Dimitri held Felix in his embrace, running a hand through the blue locks to comfort him. Felix had always been by his side to protect him, even though his life was in danger. If he truly valued what Felix had done for him, he must live on with his life instead of letting it go waste. “I promise… I will not simply throw my life away…” He said as he rubbed off the tears that rolled down Felix’s cheek.

* * *

The next morning, Dimitri found Gilbert discussing with some of his friends about some upcoming battle plans. As Dimitri approached them, they stopped their discussion and greeted him. He got nervous all of a sudden, but he felt Felix’s hand giving him a reassuring pat on his shoulder, which was enough for him to muster up his courage to speak up.

“I wish to apologize to all of you. You all chose to follow me but I led all of you down the dark path with me and risked your lives. I know that no apology could be sufficient, but I’m truly sorry for my behaviour,” Dimitri started. “I know that things can never be the same. No amount of regrets or apologies will bring the dead back. The best I can hope for is to make things whole again.”

“Is there something you plan to do, Your Highness?” Gilbert asked.

“I wish to set things right from now on. I have decided that I will return back to the kingdom and take back the capital,” Dimitri told them. “I have turned my back against the people for far too long. I must see it done to save the people and atone my sins.”

“As a knight of Faerghus, it is my duty to follow my lord,” Gilbert said. “But are you sure about this? You keep mentioning about wanting to avenge the death.”

“Of course I’m still angry about the death of the innocent people, but wallowing in grief and revenge will not bring any comfort. As long as I am still living, I will see to it that what must be done is done,” Dimitri told them. “That, I believe, is the only way to make up for everyone who died for us. I must not let their death go to waste.”

His friends beamed up at his decision. “That’s a great idea, Your Highness.” Ingrid beamed with joy. “I’m so glad that you finally regained sight of yourself. To have you by our side could tip the scale in battle, it will definitely benefit our cause greatly.”

“Count me in too,” Ashe said. “Faerghus was my homeland too. I know I don’t have much, but I shall contribute to my country with everything I have.”

“I see that you finally made your decision in life,” Seteth said as he nodded in satisfaction. “With your new power, I believe you will be able to achieve greater heights. The Church of Aegle will do our best to support you in your cause.”

“Thank you everyone. I’m glad to have you all for support. I shall always be grateful for your contribution,” Dimitri said. “Let’s win this war. We will liberate Faerghus from those traitors.”

“Should we start our war council?” Gilbert brought up the topic. “There’s a lot of planning that needs to be done if we want to secure victory in the war.”

As discussions and plans were being brought up, Dimitri turned around to face Felix, who gave him a small smile. “So you’ve decided on what you’re going to do. I am glad that you are finally moving on.”

Dimitri laughed as he scratched the back of his neck. “I guess… It’s all thanks to you and Rodrigue. But I’m afraid I’m going to drag all of you in another battle. It won’t be an easy one either.”

“Everyone has agreed with your decision,” Felix reassured him. “They followed you because they believe in you. If all of you can work together, surely you can pull this off.”

“Heh, that must be some way to speak.” Dimitri let out a chuckle. “Putting that aside, there’s something I wish to ask of you.” Felix perked up a bit at the statement. “Will you fight by my side during the war?”

Felix avoided his eye contact, his expression unreadable. “I believe this must be what my father wants.” He spoke up after a moment. “I turned down your request to fight by your side in the first place because of my health concern, but now that you have helped me recover from my illness, I believe I should at least repay what you had done.”

“So you finally agree to fight together with me?”

“Of course I will fight for you, for my father’s sake. It was his wish to see that you claim the throne and restore peace within the kingdom,” Felix said. “But promise me that you must win this war. We have lost so many people, their sacrifice will be wasted if we are to lose. We can’t let our struggle be for naught.”

“You have my word, Felix,” Dimitri said with a nod. “I swear on the lives of those who were lost. I will not falter again.” For a moment, Felix saw Dimitri’s single eye lit up, brighter than the sky itself. Seeing it filled him with a glimmer of hope for a better future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The revelation part is actually one of my favourite part of the story, consider it one of the milestone in the story. Now that things has finally become clear on what actually happened between Dimitri and Felix, there's still a long way to mend the past, but I guess you guys know how things will turn out right?
> 
> And to clear up some confusion, I decided to write down a timeline about how things happened mainly after the academy era. To make it easier, we consider Guardian Moon as the beginning of the year.  
> Year 1181 - Lone Moon: Graduation from Garreg Mach; Red Wolf Moon: Dimitri's coronation was postponed due to a snowstorm  
> Year 1182 - Pegasus Moon: A series of assassination is done on Dimitri, Felix got poisoned; Lone Moon: Dimitri sent to live in Arianrhod; Harpstring Moon: Gaspard Rebellion took place, Lonato was killed. Rodrigue was stripped off his title and position and exiled from the kingdom. House Fraldarius fled and took refuge in Morfis Island  
> Year 1184 - Great Tree Moon: Dimitri returned back to Fhirdiad  
> Year 1185 - Garland Moon: Ambush at Magdred Way; Wyvern Moon: Herveil Village calamity; Ethereal Moon: Fhirdiad stormed by assassins, Dimitri escaped from the capital


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri and Felix returned back to Fodlan. They reunited with old friends as they worked together to free Faerghus from the Flame Emperor control. Dimitri decided to investigate on the Tragedy of Duscur and made some discovery. But before he could complete his task at hand, a new enemy appeared and throw everything into chaos once more.

On a fine sunny morning of the Pegasus Moon, Dimitri finally set off to return back to the kingdom. He had sent Ingrid back to Fodlan a few days earlier so that she could help him gather reliable allies to rally against the enemy.

The salty sea breeze blew past him as he watched the boat cut through the waves and the harbour of Morfis Island slowly vanished from his sight. Thousands of thoughts raced through his mind as he felt himself being brought back closer to his homeland. While he believed that this was the right thing to do, his heart felt heavy. It was a complicated feeling; there were so many possibilities and he didn't know how things were going to turn out.

“You have been staying outside here for quite a while.” Felix commented as he walked up to him. “Is there something on your mind?”

“I keep wondering, is this the right thing to do?” Dimitri asked. “I may be the prince of Faerghus but I turned my back on my people and let them suffer. What if I am not welcome?”

“Still having regrets?” Felix questioned. “My father once said that a leader that makes no decision will never be a good leader. You will never know unless you try. After all, you have already taken the first step— now is the time to progress if you want to win. Even if the people hate you, you still have us by your side. We’ll help you get through it.”

“Thank you, Felix. Although I may not know what lies ahead of me, I must brace myself and look into the future instead of continuing to cling to the past.” Dimitri managed a smile. “Hearing you say that to me is kind of reassuring.”

“Don’t get lost in your thoughts,” Felix reprimanded him. “Endless battlefields await us. We don’t want you to lose your head in there.”

“I understand. I just need to clear my mind for a bit before we set foot in Fodlan,” Dimitri said. One of his hands subconsciously landed on the hilt of the Sword of the Creator. Its warmth gave him some sense of security. He set his sight across the ocean as he anticipated the continent of Fodlan coming into his view.

The past two weeks had been a hectic time for Dimitri. He had spent the days attending war council and doing preparation for their battle. It was not that bad to say the least, it helped distract him from the voices that were plaguing him. He finally opened up and spent some time with his new allies. Everyone was glad to see that he had finally gotten better and they were willing to join forces with him to win the war.

Bonding with his allies allowed him to learn more about their backstories. He met with Catherine, who had given up her position as heir to House Charon and sworn fealty to the church. She had no qualms about returning to the kingdom, but that did not mean she would just sit idly by and let the kingdom fall. Then there was Ashe who also originated from the western region of the kingdom. He had been orphaned at a young age and had a rough time having to feed his siblings. Lord Lonato was the one who adopted him and taught him to read and write, but after Lonato was killed in the rebellion in Fhirdiad, their living situation worsened, so he decided to take his siblings and seek refuge at the church. He now trained to become a knight because he looked up to Lonato and wished to be like him. Everyone here had a past and had experienced hard times, but they tried to live on. He may not have been able to comprehend their purpose of living, but he saw how all of them lived in hope for a better day.

* * *

The moment the group touched down in Alliance Territory, they were greeted by scenes of chaos across the streets of Derdriu. They saw Claude commanding his army as they defended against a mysterious army waving the Flame Banner.

“You have some timing to visit at a time like this,” Claude managed to say when he saw them. “But if you intend to do some sightseeing, do you mind helping me drive off these invaders first?”

“That was the banner of flames.” Lysithea pointed out. “To think that the Flame Emperor had his army attack here, it’s almost like they’ve literally conquered the entire continent.”

“Even Alliance Territory was not spared from the Flame Emperor’s attack,” Gilbert commented. “If we can help them defend Derdriu, perhaps we can gain an important ally in our fight against the Flame Emperor.”

“You make a point, Gilbert.” Dimitri agreed. “Since the two of us are fighting against the Flame Emperor, it would benefit us to work together.”

The church soldiers were dispatched and blocked the enemies’ exit path. Dimitri led the way and took care of the enemy soldiers that were trying to breach the city. With the sudden arrival of reinforcements supporting the Alliance, the enemies were quickly routed.

“My, Your Princeliness, so you’re still alive after all,” Claude called out to Dimitri when the chaos finally died down. “You look like you’ve had a rough time, but you still have your fighting spirit,” He commented after taking in Dimitri’s appearance. “You had changed a lot the last time I saw you, your hair and everything… Last year, word came from the kingdom that both you and the regent were murdered. The kingdom fell into the hands of some traitors that began tearing it apart.”

“It’s good to see you again, Claude,” Dimitri greeted him. “It’s unfortunate that we have to meet under such circumstances. I can see that the Alliance is having a hard time fighting against the Flame Emperor’s armies as well.”

“Whoa, whoa, slow down for a moment. You disappeared for a year, you can’t just pop out of nowhere and start saying all this stuff in front of me.” Claude laughed. “Where have you been all this time? You left us quite the mess to clean up.”

“It’s really complicated,” Dimitri said. “I hope to divulge it to you but time is of the essence. I must hurry to Garreg Mach Monastery and meet up with my allies. This war has carried on for too long. If this continues, Fodlan will be in trouble.”

“Heh, so you’re trying to use your silver tongue to persuade me to join your cause?” Claude chuckled. “We’ve just met and you’re already proposing a truce.”

“I’m not going to force you, but considering that both of us have the same objective, we will have a higher chance of defeating the Flame Emperor if we work together.”

“I can’t disagree with you. When I heard that both you and Edelgard vanished, I thought I was the only one left to defend Fodlan, but now that you’ve returned there’s finally a chance for us to prevail,” Claude said. “I’ve always known that you won’t go down so easily, you definitely had a hard time but you’re still standing right here.”

The commanders of the Alliance army came up to them to give their report. Dimitri recognized some of them as his former classmates from the Golden Deer House. Then, he also spotted Ferdinand standing among the group.

“Why are you here, Ferdinand?” Felix asked before he had time to process the question. “I thought you’re from the Empire and you should be working as the prime minister.”

“It is true that I’m supposed to inherit my father’s position as the prime minister of the Empire.” The man that was usually sassy and snobbish had changed both in his appearance and attitude. His well-kept hair had grown over his shoulder in messy waves and he seemed more down to earth, rather than the boastful young man he once was at the academy. “A few months before Edelgard went missing, she had my father stripped of his title as prime minister and placed him under house arrest,” he told them. “Not that I blamed her for doing that, I know that my father had done some unpleasant things to the imperial family.”

“Of course I stayed back at Enbarr to help her out. But Hubert later ordered me to leave the capital, he didn’t even tell me anything. I don’t know why he would do that, but not long after I left Enbarr, I heard of a series of coups taking place in the capital.” He continued. “When I eventually returned back to Aegir territory, that place had become under the control of Lord Arundel. My father managed to escape house prison and left the empire so I went searching for him.”

“What happened to him? Is he alright?” Dimitri asked in concern. Ferdinand frowned slightly and shook his head.

“Apparently, Duke Aegir managed to escape into Ordelia Territory, but some of the Flame Emperor’s spies caught him and he was killed. Ferdinand came a tad too late,” Claude explained to them. “Since then, he has been working for us in an attempt to fight against the Flame Emperor.”

Lysithea perked up a bit at the news. “Are my father and mother alright?” She asked.

“They’re doing fine, Lysithea,” Claude reassured her. “They managed to quell the riots, but with the situation in Hyrm, more and more rebels are causing trouble at the border. It will only be a matter of time before peace in the Alliance collapses.”

“Right, we must hurry to the monastery,” Dimitri decided. “If we don’t take action soon, the Flame Emperor may launch another attack at us.”

* * *

The reunion at the monastery was an awkward moment, if not emotional. As soon as Dimitri stepped into the halls of the monastery, his friends and former classmates swarmed him in a group hug and they expressed relief that he was alive. Felix had it even worse. Annette and Mercedes were so happy to see him that they burst into tears and everything was an emotional mess.

“We’re so happy to see you’re alive.” Mercedes finally said. “When news came that you went missing and were found dead, I feared the worst but seeing you here gives me so much relief.” Mercedes looked as if she had been through quite a hard time when he had left Faerghus. He felt sorry for making her worry so much. “And I’m so glad to see Felix is safe and has reunited with us.”

“Everything literally fell apart when Faerghus lost its king,” Annette told him. “And then when the Flame Emperor launched his conquest, the kingdom totally splintered apart. Even the monastery wasn’t spared— they damaged part of the structure.”

Some of his allies walked up to him and struck up conversations with him, while some just gave him a pat on the shoulder to tell him that they were glad to see him. Dimitri could make out some of the students from Black Eagles and Golden Deer House. All of them stood here together with him in hopes of fighting for a better future.

“Well, that was quite a grand welcome ceremony,” Claude laughed. “You and your companion have gotten quite popular, Your Highness.”

“It’s… overwhelming,” Dimitri managed to say.

“We’re all here for you, Your Highness,” Ingrid said. “After all, you’re the only person who can unite the people to oppose the Flame Emperor. All of us have faith in you to put this war to an end.”

“As long as I am alive, I will always serve you,” Dedue swore, which made Dimitri gasp in surprise. He had not seen Dedue until now, and seeing him standing here before him filled him with both shock and joy.

“De… Dedue? You’re alive, b-but how?”

“Some of my friends from Duscur saved me from imprisonment. Sylvain brought me to Gautier to be nursed back to health,” Dedue explained. “When I heard the news that you were returning, we decided to meet up with you and help you in your cause. I apologize for not being able to stay by your side, but I will make up for my mistake by fighting by your side.”

“It looks like all well that ends well,” Sylvain joked lightly. “Not only has His Highness managed to return back to us alive, he also brought Felix back kicking to the battlefield. I believe we will win this battle.”

“Well, if we really want to win this war, then we’d better get things started,” Claude commented. “Enough with this emotional reunion, we should get this place cleaned up and sort through our supplies. There will be endless sessions of war council to come before we are to march into the battlefield.”

“What the Alliance leader said is right,” Gilbert agreed. “We should set out with our plan. I am sure all of you will be able to bond by doing chores together.”

Despite the war that was looming outside, the group remained in high spirits. After getting the place cleaned up to make it look comfortable, all of them gathered together in the dining hall for a modest feast to dine like warriors. Dimitri found himself surrounded by his friends, asking him questions here and there— in particular about his appearance and what he had been up to while he had been missing. Felix seemed uncomfortable being surrounded by so many people and swarmed with conversation, but he seemed to enjoy the feast as Dimitri noted how he would bicker with Sylvain or fight with Ingrid for the last piece of meat. It all felt normal, as if they had returned back to the monastery days.

As the night loomed over the monastery, everyone was completely exhausted and returned to their rooms to call it a day. Dimitri walked around the halls, taking the time to reminisce about the halls where he spent his youth. Eventually, he climbed a flight of stairs to the third floor that led to an open terrace. Felix was leaning on the stone balustrade as he gazed into the night sky, his hair seeming to glow under the moonlight. Dimitri was mesmerized by the sight of him.

“What are you doing here, boar?” Felix asked him, turning to face him with a scowl.

“I was just walking around reminiscing about the past.” Dimitri walked up to his side. “Mind if I join you?”

“The monastery has remained the same even after years have passed,” Felix commented. “My father used to come up here whenever he visited the monastery. I hate to say that I miss him.”

“I miss him too, he was like a father to me,” Dimitri said with a sad smile. “But the past is the past, and all we can do is to look forward to the future so that Rodrigue can rest in peace.”

“I believe that is what my father wants after all…” Felix said softly. “He did not wish to restore Fraldarius, the only thing he wanted was a good ruler for Faerghus. I believe that is the simple wish the citizens are hoping for as well, everyone here just wants a peaceful life.”

“I promised you before, I will not let Rodrigue’s death go to waste,” Dimitri recited his oath. “And I will see to it that I reclaim the kingdom and win this war.”

“You better keep your word. Everyone here believes in you, so we must win.”

“Speaking of, I saw Ingrid and Sylvain arguing at the dining hall just now. They seemed to be talking about you. Is there something I missed?”

“Ingrid is probably whining at Sylvain for keeping so many secrets from her. After all, the Gautier are the only ones who knew where we were during our time in exile.” Felix told him. “And I believe that Sylvain did a great job keeping your whereabouts a secret in order to protect you. As much as I find him annoying, he is a reliable person when there is a time.”

“I did mention that my memories felt a little fuzzy around the time at Arianrhod. I even forgot you, Rodrigue and Glenn, I cannot even comprehend about it.” Dimitri said. “If it wasn’t for you, that memory would probably remain locked in my mind. But then, as fuzzy as my memories may be, there’s no way I could forget important people like you and Rodrigue.”

“No point in dwelling on it.” Felix let out a sigh as he gazed into the sky. “I do believe the Grand Duke had something to do with it. After we were exiled, the Grand Duke removed any records about the Fraldariuses, he literally took everything from us. It must be the reason why everyone remained quiet about us. Anyone who dares to talk about the Fraldarius will be executed. In fact, they even had some of my father’s loyal soldiers executed.”

“I guess there’s no point talking about the past, is there?” Dimitri questioned rhetorically. “If I truly want things to be better, the best thing I could do is to build a better future. There is much I have to do to atone.” He reached out to hold Felix’s hand in his. “That is why I need your help to win this battle. I will restore Faerghus to its former glory, just as Rodrigue and my father once did. I will make sure that you live to see it happen.”

* * *

The battle to retake Fhirdiad was a long and exhaustive battle. The resistance army, marched northward into Faerghus Territory. Recapturing the former Fraldarius Territory was an excruciating struggle, but they eventually liberated the territory from Cornelia’s men which provided them a strategic point to attack the capital. The troops spent the night in Fraldarius before continuing on the march into Fhirdiad. 

The streets of Fhirdiad were in complete shambles as his friends accounted, yet the castle remained standing fortified by impregnable stone walls. There was discontent breaking out in the streets, but none of Cornelia’s men were on the streets stopping them. She must have had them stationed in the castle to prepare for an assault against them. The riots outside the castle walls provided a distraction for them to sneak into the capital without much trouble.

“I have been away from the capital for just one year and it has turned into this…” Dimitri muttered as he watched riots unfold in the streets. Merchants did not dare to open business and the poor were left to starve in the street or freeze to death. “I did not think that I would return to the kingdom like this. On that fateful day when I escaped execution with Dedue’s help, I fled from the city, cutting down my own men and stole their weapons just to survive. I wonder, is this all truly meant to be…”

“Pay attention, boar,” Felix whispered to him. “What we are doing is going to decide the fate of the kingdom and its people. Focus on the mission ahead of us if you want to change everything.”

“Your Highness.” Gilbert walked up to him. “All the preparations are complete. Our soldiers have been stationed around the castle, just give us the command and we will move out.”

“Thank you, Gilbert. Looks like the time is now.” Dimitri stood up, like a commander in a battlefield. He looked at Felix who gave him a firm nod to proceed with the operation. “The time is now, everyone! This will be our battle for the future of Faerghus, let’s fight to reclaim the peace that was stolen by those traitors. Join me, together we will win this battle and free Faerghus from its suffering!”

The resistance army let out a roar as they smashed through the castle gate straight into the castle yard where Cornelia and her armies laid in waiting. They were able to advance through the first wave of soldiers but as they entered the perimeter of the fortress, the group was attacked by titans that were guarding the entrance.

“These things are tough! What are they actually?” Dimitri exclaimed as he tried to use the Sword of the Creator to break the armour but the defence of the titan remained sturdy and its attack left a deep gash in his arm. Marianne came up to him and helped him heal the wound so that he could still use his arm to fight.

“Watch out, everyone!” Claude called out. “Magic attacks and arrows are being fired from the castle interior!”

“These things must have been reinforced by magic of some sort.” Sylvain commented as he maneuvered his horse to avoid an attack from the titan. “If we can disable the controls, it should be able to weaken them.”

Ingrid managed to narrowly avoid a stray arrow from a sniper as she manoeuvred her pegasus among the lines of enemies. She barely made it past two titans and found a lever located at one of the towers. She sent them a signal by firing a thunder magic into the air to inform the rest that the magic on the titans had been deactivated. Claude reacted by flying to her side and provided her cover from a distant archer.

“That should weaken the titans’ power.” Dimitri said. “Press on and advance with caution.”

“Did the Flame Emperor actually provide such weapons to Cornelia?” Gilbert wondered out loud. “I have never seen such weapons before and they look beyond imagination.”

With the titans weakened, the resistance army began to gain the upper hand as the battle continued. From a distance, Dimitri could make out the magic signal sent out by Annette from the West and Lysithea from the East, telling him that the area had been cleared. The only thing left was to enter the fortress where Cornelia was hiding and take her out.

Just as he was about to enter the fortress, the titans suddenly began to form a defensive formation and blocked the entrance again. He tried to break one of them but his sword could barely leave a scratch. Felix noted that the titans seemed to be gathering energy, but that couldn’t be possible, especially when they had managed to deactivate the device, could this be a trap? His questions were answered when he suddenly heard Claude and Sylvain calling out to the group to stay away from the titans.

“It’s Cornelia! She’s using her magic to fuel the titans with destructive power!” Sylvain shouted out. “Get away from them! She’s planning to use them to collapse the fortress on us!”

Just then, one of the titans not too far from Dimitri began releasing its energy. The blast sent an impact towards the fortress, causing it to shake violently and part of it to collapse. Rocks and debris began raining down on the army as they tried to get away from the fortress.

“Your Highness, stay down and get away!” Gilbert called out, but Dimitri was too close to the fortress and the stones rained down on him mercilessly. One large chunk of the building hit him on the shoulder and another one pinned him down on the leg, making him unable to run.

“Boar!” Just when he thought he was going to be buried, he saw a flash of blue rushing towards him. He expected the pain to hit him, but for some reason, he did not feel any pain. “Look at me, boar!” When his vision cleared and the sounds seemed to have quieted down, he found Felix by his side. A protective shield had been erected that protected them from the falling stones.

“F-Felix, what are you doing here?”

“I’m saving your pathetic life, you stupid boar!” Felix glared at him. “You’re so foolish to rush to your death! What about the promise you made earlier? Was it nothing but empty words?”

“But I must win this battle. I cannot let everything be in vain.”

“And what’s the point if you die?” Felix retorted. “You dying here will leave everything in vain. Once you’re dead, everything is over. Is that what you truly want?”

The battle raged on outside. They could hear their allies screaming and calling out for them while they tried to defend against the titans’ attacks. “Listen, I know that we demand victory in this battle, but every victory is not easy to achieve.” Felix told him. “You may have gotten away now, but if you make another mistake everything we’ve done will be wasted.”

“… I understand…” Dimitri muttered after a moment. “I’m sorry to have dragged you into this.”

“Apologizing won’t change anything. We must get out of here and stop Cornelia,” Felix said. “I can use my magic to teleport us out of here. But we must get to Cornelia fast. She must’ve been planning to destroy the castle so that we won’t be able to reclaim it even if we win.”

“Then why not just teleport me to where Cornelia is,” Dimitri said. “I must take her down myself, for the sake of my family. There are also some questions that I need answers to from her.”

“I figured you would want to do that,” Felix said. “We must be careful though. Her magic is fearsome and she probably has some dirty tricks up her sleeves.” He then chanted a spell that warped them out from the rubble into the fortress where Cornelia was commanding her forces.

“My, Your Highness, you seem to have changed a lot since the last time I saw you.” She greeted him with a smirk. “I never imagined that you had grown this strong.”

“Enough of your prattle, Cornelia,” Dimitri snarled at her. “You have caused enough suffering for the people. I wouldn’t be surprised if you set up those assassination attempts on me and killed my uncle.”

“Rufus, you say?” Cornelia let out a chuckle. “That man made a fool out of himself. I just got rid of him because he tried to stand in my way. I wish you had been here to see his last moments, how I drained the life out of him… it was all so lovely.”

“You monster! I will make sure that you won’t survive this day!” Dimitri roared as he pulled out the Sword of the Creator. “You will pay for all you have done!”

Cornelia conjured up dark magic to trap him but Felix quickly erected a barrier to shield Dimitri from her attack. “So it has become as clear as ice. You had been planning this all this time.” He snarled at her.

“Oh? Is that who I think it is? The young Lord Fraldarius, or should I say the traitor Fraldarius?” She looked somewhat surprised to see Felix, yet she continued on with her taunt. “You had some guts coming back here. Or is the punishment not enough for you?”

“I came back to settle a debt.” Felix said in reply. “You had your share of fun turning the kingdom inside out. It’s high time I take back what I lost.” He pointed his blade at her as he prepared his stance. “You took everything from my father. I will claim it back from you here and now!” 

“Your family is nothing but a stubborn load of fools.” Cornelia scorned. “Your father had been meddling too much in the kingdom’s affair. In fact, it was Rufus who gave the command to remove him from the kingdom. I can imagine how easy things were with that old man out of the way.”

“You’re definitely the worst of the worst.” Dimitri yelled back at her. “All this tyranny and atrocity ends here! For father and for everyone who lost their lives, I will defeat you and take back the kingdom!”

“Let’s go, Dimitri.” Felix called out. “We must win this if we want to see tomorrow.”

“Of course, Felix. We will do this together.” Both of them raised their weapons and charged forward. Cornelia summoned up dark magic to attack them, but Felix erected another shield to ward off the magic. Dimitri extended the Sword of the Creator to try to cut her down but she managed to repel it with her magic. They dodged her attack before they charged again. Dimitri tightened his grip on the sword, feeling the crest power surge through his blood. Cornelia attacked again but Felix casted a protective spell on Dimitri that enabled him to surge forward. He cut through Cornelia’s magic and unleashed the full power of the sword that landed the fatal blow.

“Oh my, your strength never ceases to amaze me, Your Highness.” Cornelia managed a laugh as she lay dying. With her defeat, the control on the titans were deactivated and they stopped moving. “I should give you a parting gift…”

“If you have any last words, spit them out!” Dimitri demanded.

“You would love this… It’s about something that happened roughly ten years ago… Something Patricia said about wanting to see her real daughter, even if it meant sacrificing everything…” Cornelia told him. “And there’s Rufus as well, he expressed disdain at being His Majesty’s shadow and he wished that his brother would disappear…”

“A-Are you saying that what killed my father, and the tragedy that happened in Duscur… My stepmother and uncle are the ones responsible for it?!”

“They were so desperate, so I decided that I would fulfill their deepest wish… at the cost of the king’s head,” Cornelia told him. “If that’s not enough, I also helped Rufus plan with your assassination and the downfall of the Fraldarius house… Things were easier to handle with them out of our way…”

“How dare you!” Dimitri yelled at her. “You used my stepmother and uncle to further your goal, in exchange for my father’s life and all the innocents!”

“Surely you can understand how both your stepmother and uncle felt being left alone… I would say they made great pawns, don’t you say? Rufus in particular was willing to do anything to remove his own nephew…” Her breath had become shallow, and she knew that she did not have much time left. “How tragic, to think that the prince was betrayed by his own family and left with nothing… All that is left of you is despair…” With those words, she let out her final breath, leaving Dimitri to parse her words.

* * *

Eventually, they managed to reclaim the castle, the nobles who were forced to fight under Cornelia’s command surrendered without further bloodshed. All of them pledged fealty to the Crown Prince and recognized him as their ruler. Dimitri still had doubts about Cornelia’s dying words, but Gilbert persuaded him to enjoy the occasion just for the day.

“Well done, Your Highness.” Claude came up and gently slapped him on the shoulder. “Or should I say, Your Majesty?”

“You can address me that way after I am crowned,” Dimitri replied back in humour. “The ones I should be thanking are you and your friends. We couldn’t have won this battle if it wasn’t for the Alliance’s support.”

Felix walked up to his side. The battle just now had tired him out and he had cuts on his legs and shoulder but nothing serious. Dimitri flashed a smile at him as he gave Felix a pat on the shoulder, silently thanking him for helping him to win the battle.

“Your Highness, there’s still work to be done,” Gilbert called out to him. “The citizens are eager to see your return.”

“The people… N-No, I can’t face them, not after…” Felix gave him a nudge on the shoulder and warmth radiated through his body, giving him the courage to gather himself.

“You should meet them. I don’t think it’s all bad.” Felix told him.

“You’re right as always, Felix… I am their king after all.” He followed Gilbert onto the balcony and he could hear the people’s cheers thunder across the streets of the capital. He willed himself to look out from the balcony. A sea of people had gathered across the streets to catch a glimpse of their king who had returned to save them. “H-How could this be…?” He choked a little at the sight of his people, their eyes filled with expectation and hope as they cheered on their king and for the future of the kingdom.

“Don’t you see that, Your Highness? The people are rejoicing in your return, you have saved them from their suffering.” Gilbert said. “We need you as a king who will guide us to a better future.”

“D-Do I truly have the right to stand here? To serve my people?” Tears began rolling down from his single eye as waves of emotion overwhelmed him. “I turned my back on them and fled the kingdom in disgrace, my hands were stained with blood from senseless battle… Am I even worthy of them?”

“Stop crying, boar,” Felix whispered to him. “Isn’t the spectacle more than enough to convince you? If you atone for what you have done in the past, I am sure they will forgive you.”

“Y-Yes… I must not stray from my path…” Dimitri managed a smile as he wiped the tears off his cheeks. “Faerghus, how I missed you… I am so glad to be back home…”

* * *

The group spent the next month in Fhirdiad as Dimitri started the work of restoring the kingdom. Knights were dispatched across the kingdom to purge any remaining Imperial forces. Felix stayed by his side all the while as they attended war council and supervised military troops and finance. The process of recovering the kingdom took time, and they both knew that they would need a lot of work and effort to rebuild the kingdom back to its glorious self.

One evening after finishing the war council meeting, Felix asked Dimitri to accompany him on a stroll in the gardens and there was no reason for Dimitri to say no to the offer. He had to admit that restoring order back to the kingdom was an arduous process, but Felix seemed more stressed out than him. After all, Felix was not used to council meetings or talking with people. He was willing to do anything to help Felix relieve himself from the stress and to show some appreciation for all he had done.

“You should not overwork yourself with too many things,” Felix told him as they strolled through the garden. “I don’t want you to collapse from exhaustion.”

“I could’ve said the same about you.” Dimitri let out a chuckle which earned a glare from Felix. “You’re practically shouting at everyone at least three times a day.”

“That’s because they’re asking dumb questions,” Felix retorted. “If they can’t even handle such simple problems, how can they serve the people?”

Dimitri laughed as he placed a hand on Felix’s shoulder. “Sharp as always, aren’t you? I have to thank you for helping me reduce the burden on my platter. I thought I was going to snap under the pressure.”

“You’re too kind to your own subject,” Felix said. “It’s not that I like my work on the meeting council, but I just felt obliged to help you because of… everything.” He reached out to stroke a snowdrop that was in full bloom. “It’s all thanks to you that I am finally back here. I really missed Faerghus and everyone back here, even though I may not like the crowd.”

“There’s still a long way to go before things settle down.” Dimitri said. “I discovered some secret letters in my uncle’s quarters. And Gilbert also passed me some information about the Tragedy of Duscur that Rodrigue had uncovered.” His lips pressed into a thin line at the thought of it. “During his exile, Rodrigue had some of his men secretly investigate the rumours about the Tragedy.”

“What did my old man find? It must be something important if he kept it away from everyone.”

“Rodrigue suspected that my stepmother was one of the conspirators of the Tragedy. Her body was not found, and her carriage showed no signs of being attacked,” Dimitri told him. “Gilbert also told me that he interrogated some of the men who were involved with Duscur. They said they had been given orders not to attack my stepmother, so it is likely that she knew about the attack. But I just couldn’t fathom why she would do such things just for the sake of returning to her true family?”

“It’s not like I have the answers to your questions,” Felix shrugged. “We’ll never know what she was thinking. And there’s also that uncle of yours who was trying to kill you for years…”

“The letters were enough evidence that he helped Cornelia to stage the Tragedy. And there were also various assassination attempt he plotted with several of his supporters in hopes of getting rid of me,” Dimitri said. “And if the letters were true, he could have been trying to make me forget about you and Rodrigue.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Cornelia’s quarters were filled with an arsenal of magic, tonics and medicine. I discovered some hidden away in my uncle’s room as well. One of the drugs he had was an amnesia-inducing drug.” Dimitri told him. “It is true that I lost contact with you after moving to Arianrhod. Sylvain and Ingrid only get to visit under the guards’ supervision and no one was allowed to talk about the Fraldarius… All these seem to be the reason why I forget about you. My uncle must have given me those drugs without me realizing it.” He let out a sigh. “I was so useless, to let myself be toyed with and betrayed by my own family.” Tears began to well in his eyes as a sob broke out. “I know my apologies can never fix the past, but I feel so worthless for causing so much suffering because of my own family… I wonder if this is even the right thing to do, do I even deserve for such kindness from all of you?”

Felix remained quiet. He reached out a hand to wipe the tears flowing down his king’s cheeks. “The past may have never been kind to you, or to I. But that is more of a reason why you must keep living,” he finally said. “It is true that we may not know why your stepmother killed your father or why your uncle was so keen on getting rid of you, but all that has become the past. As painful as it sounds, there is nothing we could do but to look forward.”

“Are you saying that I should just forget about the past?”

“It does not mean that you have to forget everything, you just have to live for those who died. It’s no use to keep dwelling on the past, but the past is what helped us to build a brighter future. That way we will ensure that those who died did not do so in vain.”

“You’re right after all, Felix.” Dimitri sniffed a bit as he wiped away his tears. “There may not be any answer to what has happened or been done. For Father, Glenn, and Rodrigue who died for me, I must atone for my sins and rebuild this kingdom they entrusted to me.”

“My father would be glad to see you here today.” Felix let out a small smile. “I am glad that my father and brother’s deaths were not in vain.” He was glad that Dimitri had changed for the better.

“That reminds me though… We have managed to recapture Fraldarius, and I believe that I should return the territory back to you. You are Rodrigue's successor after all,” Dimitri remarked.

Felix let out a groan as he ran a hand through his hair. “I have never been fond of governing.” He muttered. “I once thought that I could pursue my own freedom when my father lost the territory, but my body failed me. And now, I have recovered but am being pushed into my father’s seat.”

“Will you take over Rodrigue’s place?”

“As much as I hate it, I cannot leave you alone to rule the kingdom, especially when it is in dire need of rebuilding,” Felix argued back. “If you lose your mind overworking, I will be there to drag you to bed and make sure that you hold yourself together. It won’t do the kingdom any good to have a delusional king.”

“Will you return back to Fraldarius after the war?”

Felix hadn’t thought about it. It was true that the territory was in desperate need of repair from all the atrocities Rufus had committed, but Margrave Gautier did his best to help maintain the manor and order to reduce the suffering. There was still a lot of work to be done. He had sent a letter to his uncle and cousin back at Morfis, requesting for them to help govern the territory in his absence. He also needed to see that his father’s remains were brought back home to be buried, in the place where he truly belonged. “That’s still a long way away… For now, we need to focus on the war at hand. We will be marching to the empire tomorrow.”

The two of them spent some time walking around the garden before Felix decided to retire to his quarters. He advised Dimitri to retire early because they would be departing tomorrow morning. Once Felix had left, Dimitri made his way to his own room. On his way back to his room, he thought he felt a chill running down his spine. He tightened his grip on the Sword of the Creator, warily scanning his surroundings. The corridor that led to his quarters was dimly lit by several candles. No knights were stationed here except for two at the entrance.

Just then, he felt a hand on his back. He jolted at the contact and tried to turn around, but some sort of dark magic was being cast into his body and rendering him immobile. He tried to scream, but no voice would form from his throat.

“You have done well to foil our plan, Your Highness,” he heard his attacker say. “But I must take you and the Sword of the Creator with me. Your power will be used for a greater good.” His body failed him and he fell onto the ground with a dull thud. He could make out the outline of his attacker, a man draped in dark clothing and white hair. His skin was so pale that he could’ve been a ghost in the darkness. Even his eyes did not have pupils and were blank white. “With your power at our side, we can finally vanquish the beast plaguing the world.”

Then he heard footsteps, someone was coming. He could only pray that Dedue was nearby to save him, if not, any of his allies… “That’s enough, Thales!” He recognized that girl’s voice. He could not see her properly, but her voice was more than enough to tell him that it was Lysithea. “If you stay here for too long, the knights will notice you.”

“That’s nothing to fear, dear child,” the man known as Thales said. “Though I would say you could have done more, I think this is sufficient…”

“We must leave already. The knights are coming this way,” Lysithea urged him. He just could not believe what he had heard, Lysithea had betrayed him? Why was she working for this man? He barely had time to process the questions when he felt himself being hoisted up by some sort of magic and the space around him beginning to distort. Consciousness slowly slipped away from him as he felt his body being taken away from the castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no, Lysithea is the traitor?! What is going to happen?!  
> I kinda feel a bit rush when writing this chapter. I figure that this is a milestone chapter, but not anything significant (yet). I bet more chaos are going to happen in later chapters.  
> I should thank my readers for being patient with me. I somehow find myself lacking the motivation to post and work life is just eating me out. I should be seeing this done, the story draft has finished after all, so I just need to tie up some loose end and get it done.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Dimitri missing, the Kingdom and Alliance army marched into Enbarr to save him. However, a formidable enemy awaits them at Enbarr. It's either killed or be killed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning: This chapter contain some description of violence, blood elements and some implied death, though it is not directly addressed here. However, if you wish not to read any violent content, you may skip through the 3rd segment of this chapter.

When Dimitri finally woke up, he found himself in a place that looked like an underground prison. Chains were bound on his wrists and ankles to restrain him. He tried to stand up but found that he did not have the strength to do so. These chains must have been laced with magic to keep him from using his strength.

Then, he heard footsteps approaching his cell. “Did you have a good sleep, Your Highness? Or should I say, Your Majesty?” the man whom he recognized as Lord Arundel asked.

“U-Uncle… Wh-What is the meaning of this?” he asked, struggling to look up from his position. “Why would you do this to me?”

“You don’t have to know any of this,” Arundel regarded him coldly. “I only care about getting the Sword of the Creator from you and using your power to further our goals.”

“What are you talking about?” Dimitri pressed on. “I heard that the empire was now controlled by the Flame Emperor. What happened to Edelgard? Are you turning against her and serving the Flame Emperor now? Just why would you commit such an atrocity?”

“I have told you, you have no rights to know the answers to all those questions.” Arundel shot him a glare as he casted dark magic to inflict pain on the prince. “You will have your answers, once I send you to meet her.”

Two mysterious mages appeared behind Arundel, who ordered them to take Dimitri out of his cell. Dimitri tried to resist them, but they used magic to further restrain him, dragging him out of the cage before laying him down on an experimental table.

“I’m amazed at the fact that you’re still alive,” Arundel commented. “Not only that, you managed to unlock the full power of the Sword of the Creator and retake the kingdom. It is truly an amazing feat, if I say so myself.”

“What do you intend to do?” Dimitri asked. The mages forced him to have his limbs stretched out as Arundel made some preparations.

“Do not be afraid, dear child,” Arundel said in a chilling way. “I’m going to enhance your ability even further.” He then took out a syringe containing some mysterious green liquid. “Does this remind you of something? Back at Morfis Island we managed to get the blood of a little girl called Flayn. If I give you her blood, you will lose your own conscience and become a force of the dark.”

“Flayn’s blood?! If you’re the one behind her kidnapping, the Death Knight must be one of your men. What is it that you intend on achieving with all this?” Dimitri demanded to know the answer.

“Ah, you have been giving us nothing but questions, haven’t you? The Death Knight did a great job kidnapping Flayn for us, but we have disposed of him because he had gone a little too far.” Arundel told him. “As you’re aware, Flayn’s blood and crest are incredibly rare. Immense power exists in her blood. Once I inject it into you, it will grant you the power to wipe away the beasts that are controlling the world.”

“You’re going to make me…” Dimitri let out a yelp as Arundel began to inject the liquid into his bloodstream. “Wait, no! Stop it!” He could feel something was burning inside him and his mind was becoming fuzzy. The mages casted magic on him to empower his blood, and he could feel the blood in his system begin to react and take control of him. He let out a scream as power surged through his body and his mind lost control over the sudden change.

* * *

Back at Fhirdiad Castle, the kingdom and alliance army prepared for their march into Enbarr but they faced a problem—the King of Faerghus was nowhere to be seen. “Have any of you seen His Highness?” Dedue asked his friends.

“I have searched the entire left wing of the castle, but I haven’t seen him anywhere,” Ingrid said. Sylvain also said he had searched the outdoor perimeter of the castle but Dimitri was not there either. They headed to the castle entrance where their friends were making the final preparations for the march to Enbarr. Claude asked where the same question as they did, which they don’t have an answer.

“Just when I thought I could get things started, His Princeliness has gone missing.” Claude let out a sigh. “Just where could he be? I don’t want to start the party with some missing comrades.”

“Where could’ve Dimitri gone to?” Gilbert stomped his foot in frustration. “We can’t march ahead if he is not present.”

“Do you think something has happened to him?” Mercedes asked in concern. “That’s rather unlike him to disappear without notice.”

“Maybe we can ask Felix,” Sylvain suggested. “After all, Felix has been following His Highness as of late, so maybe he knows where Dimitri is.” He looked around the crowd, but he could not see the blue-haired swordsman anywhere. “Uh… Has anyone seen Felix?”

“Now that you mentioned it, I don’t recall seeing Felix at all this morning,” Annette spoke up. “Could it be… Dimitri ran off on his own and Felix chased after him?”

“I don’t think Dimitri would run off on his own in the middle of the night,” Gilbert objected. “With his state of mind, he should know better than to run out of the kingdom alone.”

“Gilbert’s got a point,” Claude agreed. “There is a possibility, however. Dimitri could have been taken away against his will.” The atmosphere seemed to stiffen when Claude voiced his thought.

“So are you saying that someone has taken Dimitri in the night? That could be a possibility. With the kingdom having just recovered from the reign of terror, there could be enemies trying to find the opportunity to assassinate the king,” Gilbert said. “But could Felix have been caught as well?”

Just then, Linhardt came running to the group as he asked if anyone had seen Lysithea. “I sense the presence of magic in Dimitri’s quarters,” he told them. “While I cannot be sure what sort of magic is being used, I can highly presume that Dimitri has been attacked by magic and taken away. I was hoping that Lysithea could help to analyze the magic, but I cannot find her.”

“Lysithea is missing too?” Claude asked in shock. “First, Dimitri, then Felix, and now Lysithea. What is going on here?”

“The enemy could be behind it,” Sylvain deduced. “They probably kidnapped His Highness so that we cannot proceed with our plans to march to the empire. They wanted us to think that there is a traitor among us to lower our morale. I would say they did a great job attacking us unguarded.”

“What should we do now?” Marianne asked. “We have lost so many of our allies in one night…”

Just then, Ashe came up to them and brought a report. “The Knights of Aegle have arrived from Morfis Island.”

“The Knights of Aegle from Morfis Island? I don’t think I copy that.” Claude was a bit unsure when they heard of this new company they had.

“They’re a group of knights hailing from the land of magic,” Gilbert said. “It seems like they have arrived to give us help.”

Ashe escorted the Archbishop and the knights into the hall entrance to meet up with Claude. They exchanged pleasantries for a while before Rhea proceeded with the negotiation. “Have you all been doing well? To be honest, I am a bit shocked at how much Fodlan has changed. But it gives me some solace seeing that you all managed to work together to fight and restore order in the kingdom, I can see that the Goddess was at your side.”

“The Goddess? Is there a relation between the Church of Seiros and the Church of Aegle?” Claude questioned.

“The Church of Aegle branched off from the Church of Seiros. Both of them worshipped the Goddess that founded Fodlan.” Gilbert informed him. “It is said that thousands of years ago when Fodlan was plagued by war, a group of followers of the Church of Seiros sought refuge in Morfis Island and hence founded the church.”

“It is true that we may not share the same history, but we share the same goal for wanting a peaceful life,” Rhea said. “No one here wishes the war and suffering to continue. That is the reason we fight.”

“You do seem trustworthy,” Claude said. “And I believe with your soldiers by our side, we could probably stand a chance to defeat the Flame Emperor. But still, is there any other reason for you to join forces with us? You probably had something else in mind.”

“I came here because I promised Prince Dimitri that I would give him support to end this war,” Rhea said. “At the same time, there’s some important matters I need to speak to him… But it seems like he has disappeared, and we’re all trapped in an impasse.”

“It’s good to have the archbishop join us in our cause, but without His Highness to command the soldiers, I fear that we need to reorganize our plan,” Gilbert said. “Perhaps we should go for the defensive instead of charging towards them…”

“I understand that all of you are worried about Dimitri and our friends, but in my opinion, that was more of a reason why we should continue with our assault on Enbarr,” Claude voiced his opinion. “If we delay for too long, the Flame Emperor will definitely strike us with his strongest force. As you all know, they had some unpredictable cards in their sleeves. There’s no saying we would stand a chance to defeat them even with preparations.”

“Tell us more about your plan, Duke Riegan,” Sylvain said. “His Highness is gone, but you’re still here, and you still have the authority to command the troops as you wish.”

“Sylvain is right,” Annette agreed. “After all, Claude has proven himself to be a capable leader in the battlefield. I’m sure that whatever decisions he makes will be beneficial to all of us.”

“I should thank you all for having faith in me.” The leader flashed a smile at his friends before he continued. “I’m sure you all are aware why we decided to march to Enbarr in the first place. We want to end this war quickly and stop the tyranny plaguing Fodlan. We won’t be able to accomplish anything if we just stand here worrying about our friends.” Everyone quieted down as they paid their attention to the Alliance Leader. “I’m sure that is what Dimitri wished too. We have to do it in his absence, because that is the only way to save our friends.”

“But our friends’ lives were at stake,” Ferdinand said. “Are you sure it is a good idea to charge into Enbarr? The enemies could be using Dimitri as a hostage.”

“It is a risky choice I admit,” Claude told him. “But if we delay our attack, does it guarantee our friends will be safe? I’m not saying that I do not care about Dimitri, but he is strong. So is Felix and Lysithea. All of them have been through tough challenges in their lives, so I have faith that they will not fall so easily. If we truly care for them, then we must hurry to Enbarr and help them out before it’s too late.”

“Lady Rhea, do you think it is a wise choice to march into the empire?” Seteth asked her. The archbishop gave him a nod in approval.

“I see reason in your words, young duke.” She smiled calmly at Claude. “And you’re also confident with your plan. As long as we secured Dimitri’s safety and ended the war, everything we had done will be worth it.”

“For Dimitri, and for everyone, this is a battle we must not lose,” Ingrid said. “We must stop the Flame Emperor!”

Claude’s speech was powerful enough to inspire the morale of the troops. Fighting spirit reignited among the soldiers and spread like wildfire, giving the soldiers the motivation they need to march into the battlefield. Their roars could be heard across the streets of Fhirdiad, giving people the hope for a better future.

“It’s time,” Gilbert told Claude. “The soldiers are ready to march for the empire. Since His Highness is not around, you will be the one to command us. Please lead us to victory.”

“It’s now or never,” Claude said as he mounted onto his wyvern before firing an arrow, giving the soldiers a signal to begin the march. The armies consisting of the Kingdom, Alliance, and Morfis set foot out of the castle heading west, with the citizens of Faerghus cheering for them and wishing them good luck.

* * *

The group marched southwest heading for the Adrestian Empire. They managed to capture Fort Merceus without much trouble, but Claude noted that the empire soldiers were not acting as expected. Sylvain and Ingrid also noted that the soldiers fled the fortress rather than defended it until the end. However, they could not dwell long on their questions as they had to press on their march deeper into the empire until they eventually arrived at Enbarr.

As soon as they crossed the gates into the city of Enbarr, they were greeted with a large number of imperial soldiers stationed in the capital. Claude feared that a fight was to break out in the city, which could be dangerous to the civilians living in the capital. This wouldn’t be an easy battle.

Taking care of the soldiers was not as hard as they thought. It was the aftermath they couldn’t stomach. When Claude managed to defeat the enemy commanders, most of the imperial soldiers fled into the castle, leaving behind scenes of carnage. Some of his men reported that the imperial soldiers seemed to be using innocent civilians as their shield. Many houses were razed by the imperial army in an attempt to escape from their attacks, in turn killing many civilians. Claude called the soldiers to save any people who were still alive and gave them aid.

“Are they really imperial soldiers?” Claude questioned as he surveyed some of the burned wreckage. “As far as I know, the imperial soldiers do not resort to such atrocity as to hurt innocent civilians. Or did the Flame Emperor force them to carry out the necessary task so that we will not win?”

“Aside from what they have done to the people, I noticed that some of the mages were not wearing their usual uniform,” Ingrid told him. “They were some mysterious people. Wearing black robes and skin as pale as death itself. They wielded fearsome magic, different from any other mages we had seen.”

Sylvain walked up next to her and patted her on the shoulder to steady her. One of the mysterious mages almost threw him off his horse during the battle just now. It was all thanks to Ingrid that his bones remained intact. “As mysterious as they are, doesn’t it remind us of what happened in Herveil Village last year? Although it is not about the people going insane, the sight of people attacking their own and burning their land is similar to the attack we once witnessed.”

“Maybe that had been the Flame Emperor’s intention all along,” Gilbert deduced. “The Flame Emperor kept on mentioning about reshaping Fodlan. But to use such methods for change… Isn’t that a bit overboard?”

Just then, a soldier came running up to them. “Milord, there’s some dire news you need to hear!” the soldier reported.

“What is this news about?” Claude took a moment to observe the soldier. He seemed alright, but his armour was stained with blood. Since they looked fresh, it probably meant he had recently gotten injured. “What happened to you?” Another thing that registered him is the pale expression on the soldier’s face as if he had seen a ghost.

“My troops were surveying the wreckage just now searching for survivors, but another group of imperial troops emerged and attacked us by surprise,” the soldier reported. “The leader of the group killed most of my men, all of whom were slaughtered mercilessly.”

Before Claude could ask more about this mysterious troops of soldiers, another of his men ran up to him in panic. “A group of imperial soldiers are advancing this way! Their leader is killing anyone who stands in his way!”

“Who is the leader of this group of soldiers?” Claude asked.

“I couldn’t see his face clearly,” the soldier replied. “But he wielded fearsome power. Our men who went up against him had their limbs severed or even had their body gutted.”

“The imperial soldiers are coming this way! Everyone, run!” There was a thundering roar coming from one side of the city. A burning lance came flying towards them, narrowly grazing past Claude by the shoulder before lodging on the arm of a soldier.

“Who or _what_ was after us?” They did not have much time to ponder on such questions when a group of imperial soldiers came charging towards them.

“This is bad. They’re running all over the streets of Enbarr!” Ashe exclaimed.

“These soldiers look like they have lost their mind,” Sylvain noted. “It all feels rather… uneasy…” The soldiers came charging towards them like some mindless beasts as they attacked anyone on sight.

Then, the burning lance attacked again. The wielder intended to jab Claude but Ingrid reacted fast and used her relic to create a gust of wind to push back their attacker. When the sand finally cleared a bit, they finally got a good look at their assailant. All of them let out a gasp in disbelief.

“This can’t be…” The man before them was clad in black armour and a thick fur cape. Unruly light blonde hair covered most of his face, but they could still make out the single blue eye staring at them with soulless gaze. On his hand was a lance, glowing with unnatural flame.

“D-Dimitri, what happened to you?” Claude managed to ask, but Dimitri fired a beam of magic towards them in reply.

“Your Highness, what’s the meaning of this?!” Sylvain asked, but Dimitri did not utter a word and continued to attack them.

“Kill every last one of them!” Dimitri commanded, calling forth a wave of imperial soldiers towards them. He swung the lance towards the soldiers who stood in his way. The lance radiated off flames, killing anyone who was in contact with it.

“Your Highness, please stop this!” Dedue called out. “We’re your allies.”

“It can’t be…” Rhea gasped in shock. “To think that they did this to Dimitri…”

“Do you know something, Lady Rhea?” Gilbert asked.

“It’s hard to explain.” Rhea shook her head. “From the way he is behaving, I’m afraid that someone has used dark magic to control him.”

“Is there no way to snap him out of it?” Sylvain asked as he dodged another attack from Dimitri. “Are you saying that we need to kill him?”

“There is certain magic that could remove the control in his mind, but we need to subdue him first, or else it won’t work,” Rhea told them. “Try to restrain and weaken him. We cannot let him rampage around, it will get more people killed.”

They all had Dimitri surrounded in a circle. Claude initiated the attack by firing an arrow towards him, but Dimitri easily swatted it away as if it was a fly. Dedue, Sylvain, and Ingrid exchanged blows in an attempt to weaken him. Dimitri was like a a beast in the battlefield. He continued on his mad rampage even after being attacked. Annette casted a wind magic that managed to hit him off the ground for a moment, and Linhardt quickly followed up with another attack to restrain him.

“Dimitri, stop all this madness! We’re your friends!” Claude called out as he fired an arrow that managed to subdue him. Rhea then assailed him in white magic as she tried to remove whatever magic that had its hold on the prince. As the magic began its work on him, Dimitri thrashed about and howled in pain. He managed to grab hold of the fallen lance on the ground and fired a bolt of lightning towards Rhea. This caused her to lose concentration, preventing her from casting her magic.

“Lady Rhea!” Ashe called out as Rhea stumbled a little at the attack. Dimitri immediately summoned more soldiers to attack them. The knights quickly took up arms to protect each other, but the constant fighting was wearing them down already.

Just then, a thunder spell landed on the battlefield, perfectly hitting Dimitri. Ingrid noticed the shadow of a man, running past soldiers faster than the speed of light. The next thing she saw was Dimitri clashing his lance with the man. “F-Felix?!” It was obvious that Dimitri’s strength was greater than that of the smaller man, but Felix refused to yield as he held on to his blade.

Dimitri shoved his lance, but Felix quickly jumped aside. “Listen to me, you stupid boar!” Felix called out as he fired another thunder spell towards Dimitri. The boar remained unfazed and continued to charge at him. “Get out of my way!” he roared at Felix.

“This is no good,” Rhea said. “We have to remove the spell that is controlling him!”

Felix dodged another attack from Dimitri’s lance as he swung his sword to try to subdue him. “Snap out of it, boar! You promised me that you would not use your power to hurt our friends!” he called out. However, Dimitri continued with his attack, his lance left a burning cut on Felix’s shoulder. Dimitri swung his lance and Felix rolled on the ground to dodge it, leaving him vulnerable.

“Felix, take this!” Sylvain tossed the Aegis Shield to him, and Felix used it instantly to block the lance’s attack. He then fired a strong magic spell that knocked Dimitri off balance. He found the will to stand up as he casted light magic that enveloped Dimitri.

“Wake up, Dimitri!” he yelled at the boar. “You’re stronger than this! You wouldn’t succumb to such lowly magic! You could definitely do better than this!” He summoned more of his power and tried to remove whatever that was controlling Dimitri.

For a moment, the magic seemed to work as Dimitri stopped thrashing as he laid still on the ground. “Dimitri, please… Come back to us.” Felix begged, his voice barely a whisper. He could see some light returning to those blue eyes and a hint of recognition in his gaze.

“Felix…” Dimitri managed to mutter. But he started hearing a voice in his head, demanding him to spill more blood to avenge their death. Clarity slipped from his mind as bloodlust kicked in again. The lance he was holding began to burn with power as he tossed it towards Felix. Felix tried to block the attack but the power of the lance, combined with Dimitri’s brute strength, easily shattered his sword and slashed him on the cheek, narrowly missing his neck.

“Felix!” his friends called out as he fell onto the ground. Dimitri walked up to Felix and pinned him on the ground by grabbing his neck. The boar held the lance in his other hand, glowing with deadly flame as he prepared to jab it onto Felix.

“Your Highness, please stop!” he heard someone called out, was it Sylvain? Or was it Dedue? From the corner of his eyes, he saw Rhea casting the spell again to try to calm Dimitri down, rings of white magic surrounded them.

“Boar, if you’re going to kill me, go on then,” Felix said, trying to shoot a glare at the prince. “I will not come back to haunt you after I died, but the least thing you can do is not to kill your allies right? If you really need to spill blood, then just kill me.”

“Fe… Felix…” Dimitri spoke. It was not in the dull tone of the mindless beast, but rather that of someone he had known for years. The voice sounded so pained, it reminded him of their past littered with scars. It took a moment before the grip on Felix’s neck was removed, and he found himself able to breathe properly again.

The lance Dimitri was holding broke under the power of the white magic, snapping him out of whatever that was controlling his mind. “Did I… What have I done?” He looked around in confusion, noticing his friends surrounding him, but they were too afraid to take a step closer.

“You stormed the entire street and attacked us, you stupid boar.” Felix broke it out to him. He had received a nasty gash from their fight just now. Dimitri offered him a hand to stand up but Felix stood up by his own will.

“I’m glad to see that you’re safe, Your Highness,” Dedue walked up to him and said, his friends following soon.

“We were so worried when you disappeared from Fhirdiad,” Ingrid said. “We thought that the Flame Emperor had you killed.”

“At least he’s alright now.” Sylvain managed a wink. “I always believe in His Highness. He is strong and he will always prevail no matter what.”

“I’m glad that you finally returned to your sense, Your Princeliness.” Claude managed a nervous laugh. “You really put us on edge just now. Not only you had caused destruction in the city, but you also killed some of my men. You better make up for all this mess you cause.”

“I’m sorry for making you all worry,” Dimitri said. “And I’m sorry for hurting you all. If there’s anything to compensate those who died today, I would offer my life in exchange for their sacrifice.”

“Don’t you dare!” Felix snarled at him. “What is the point of you dying here?! The dead will not be brought back, nor will they acknowledge your sacrifice for them! What about the promise you just made to our people? If you truly honour the soldiers who laid their lives for you, then you must stand up and fight on. We have come so far already. Giving up here will render this entirely meaningless.”

“As much as I grieve for the soldiers who died for us today, we will have to press on. If we were to fall at the last moment, then it would have all been pointless.” Claude said. “But first things first, we need to plan our next course of action. I would like us to storm into the castle and confront the Flame Emperor, but with the current condition of our soldiers, I don’t want to risk it. It would be good if we could find somewhere to rest and hide away from the imperial soldiers, I don’t want our people to stray too far from the capital.”

“There was a hidden passage at the right wing of the castle,” Felix told them. “The imperial soldiers were not aware of that passage. We should be safe hiding in there for a while.”

* * *

Once the Kingdom and Alliance force finally evacuated into the secret passage of Enbarr Castle, they were given some food and water to rest up. Dimitri, Felix, and Claude sat together with some of their friends and Rhea to talk things through.

“I was kidnapped by a mysterious mage, the way he acted and behaved was very much like Solon,” Dimitri told them. “And then, when I woke up, I was being experimented on by Lord Arundel. He must’ve turned me into that monster.”

“Lord Arundel turned his back against the empire and worked for the Flame Emperor?” Sylvain asked. “While I know that some people become traitors because they are afraid of their own life, he was Edelgard’s uncle. How could he dispose of his niece and serve someone else?”

“He never told me anything,” Dimitri said. “He took the Sword of the Creator from me and gave me Flayn’s blood, and that’s when I lost my mind.”

“The moment when you attacked us was just like what happened back in Herveil Village,” Ingrid said. “Could Lord Arundel have some involvement with this?”

“That is a complicated matter...” Felix spoke up. “It may seem like that to you, but what if you try to think beyond just that? There’s so many things we don’t know about the empire. And about this Flame Emperor, nobody has ever met him. Even back then when we first met him back at Herveil Village, yet we know nothing about him…” Felix darted an eye at Dimitri. “Could there be some bigger force at play?”

“I understand your concerns. After all, the past years have been a chaotic one,” Seteth agreed. “But if you said that Lord Arundel gave you Flayn’s blood, then it is possible that he has some connection with the Death Knight and Solon. Their plans to attack us were likely a part of their objectives all along.”

“But what if I told you that Lord Arundel is no longer the man we knew?” Felix asked. “Dimitri once mentioned that Lord Arundel was quite pious and would donate money annually to the monastery. However, at one point, he stopped donating. Do you think that all this change was merely because of financial problems?”

“Do you know something we don’t, Felix?” Sylvain asked. “You seemed on edge when we mentioned about Arundel.”

Felix took a deep breath, his fingers fidgeting nervously around the waterskin he was carrying. “On the night when Dimitri was taken away, I actually detected the presence of magic and sensed that Dimitri was in danger. I teleported myself to the empire to try to save him, but the soldiers caught me and I got locked up in the dungeons. There, I met Hubert and Jeritza, who was also the one that impersonated the Death Knight back in Morfis Island.”

“Are you saying that Hubert is being locked up in prison?” Dimitri asked in shock.

“Hubert had told me that Arundel is not what he used to be. And he mentioned that Arundel was the person pulling the strings behind everything, including the Flame Emperor.” Felix told them. “When all of you began your battle in the capital, we managed to break free from prison and Hubert showed me this passage that allowed me to escape. We split off during that moment, he said he wanted to deal with the Flame Emperor and Lord Arundel himself.”

“So it is true then? Hubert knew something and kept it away from the rest of us. I always knew that Edelgard’s uncle was not someone we could trust.” Ferdinand said. “At least that explains why he chased me away from the capital, but I cannot just sit idly and let them tear my country apart.”

“The Tragedy of Duscur, the kidnapping of Flayn, invasion at Zanado and Morfis Island… Do you think that all these incidents could be related?” Seteth asked. “Not only that, the enemy brainwashed Dimitri and controlled his mind. Not even the highest tier mage in Morfis could do that, unless they resorted to some forbidden spell or something.”

“I understand your concern, Seteth,” Rhea nodded grimly. “It seems the time has come for us to confront our long lost enemies, and the truth of this world.”

“Long lost enemies? What does that mean?” Sylvain asked.

“The enemies that are pulling the strings behind this war… I believe they are the ones responsible for the war thousands of years ago…” Rhea said. “It is said that these people opposed the goddess and started war against the people of Fodlan. They were crushed and defeated, but where they ended up was never known. I believe the Flame Emperor is now gathering forces to start troubles in Fodlan so that they could gain control of Fodlan.” She paused for a moment, as if she was wondering how she should continue, but in the end she decided not to say too much. “I know that all of you have many questions, but I’m afraid we do not have much time. To simplify what I said just now, we must stop them. They’re the ones causing this war to take control of humanity and Fodlan, we cannot let the future fall into their tyranny.”

“You better keep to your words, Lady Rhea,” Claude said. “I never thought there would be so many things about Fodlan being kept hidden from us. But if we want to protect the future, then it is certain that we must stop these people for good.”

“I agree with that plan.” Dimitri nodded. “I have a lot of questions I wish to get answers to. And Edelgard too, she has been fighting against the Flame Emperor for such a long time. She must’ve known something about them too and doesn't want Fodlan to fall into their hands. If we can defeat the Flame Emperor and his men, at least we can fulfil Edelgard’s wish for a peaceful world.”

“Your Highness, I’ve figured that it’s time you should have this.” Gilbert said, handing him a lance. The massive spearhead resembled the claws of a beast and it glowed when Dimitri came into contact with it.

“This is… Areadbhar. The lance that was once belonged to my father…” He inspected the lance for a bit and gave it a few good swings to test its strength.

“Since you lost the Sword of the Creator, you should get another weapon to use,” Gilbert said. “You had come this far. And I believe that Areadbhar should serve its rightful owner, to bring us peace and justice.”

“Thank you, everyone. I swear with my father’s lance that I will not fail, we must stop all these atrocities.” With their next course decided, they drew out plans on ways to infiltrate the castle and confront the Flame Emperor. While they knew that the soldiers needed proper rest, Claude and Seteth feared that if they stayed for too long, the imperial soldiers would eventually discover their hideout and attack. As dusk approached, they decided to carry out their plan and stormed into the castle.

“We will be commencing our attacks soon. You better get ready,” Felix reminded him moments before they began their assault. “Or are you planning to give up at the last minute?”

Dimitri turned around to face Felix. He had replaced his worn battle gear with another spare attire. Two new swords now hung at his waist belt. Dimitri stole a glance at the scar on Felix’s cheek he sustained just now. Mercedes has healed the wound but the scar is still visible. Pangs of guilt hit him in his heart. Felix would not be injured if he could hold his bloodlust, now that Felix probably hated him for what he had done.

“Are you still thinking about my wound?” Felix seemed to know what he was thinking. “I’ll admit I am still angry at what you did just now, but I do not regret helping you out. After all, I had made my promise that I would stay by your side to help you no matter what.” He reached out to touch the scar on his cheek. “This is another proof of my service to you.”

“Felix, I don’t want you to get injured in our next battle. Can you promise me that you will stay away from the battlefield?” Dimitri asked, grabbing Felix by both his shoulders. “I have lost many people in the past… The last thing I want is you leaving me, if you stay away from the battle, then at least you will be safe.”

“I understand your concerns, but I had made up my mind long ago.” Felix turned away, avoiding eye contact with Dimitri. “I believe that it is my duty to fight by your side. I have been absent by your side for years, and you suffered because I failed to protect you. Now that I have been given another chance, I cannot just stand idly and watch as my friends risk their lives in the battlefield. We all share the same dream of wanting to end this war, and we all must do our part to see that it is done.”

“I should know better than to persuade you to stay away,” Dimitri said, heaving a sigh. “It’s okay if you decide to join us in the battlefield, but can you promise me that you will see this war to its end? Let us win this war together, and restore peace back to Fodlan.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Felix said softly. “We have lost too much to come this far. Winning this war is the only option we have if we want to see a better tomorrow. I will fight by your side until the end, for the sake of my father and brother. We cannot let their sacrifice go to waste.” He reached out to hold Dimitri’s hand, giving him the reassurance that they would see it through together. “Let’s win this war, for the kingdom, for everyone and for our own future.”

Dimitri smiled a bit as he returned the grip on Felix’s hand, sharing their warmth through the gesture. “I promise you that I will not let everyone’s death be in vain. Let us win this together.” Hand-in-hand, the two of them walked out to meet their friends who were ready to begin the assault in the castle. They had come this far, and it was time to end this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artwork is done by [cobaltcandi](https://twitter.com/cobaltcandi?lang=en).  
> Dimitri almost lost his mind and attacked his friends, good thing is that he managed to be stopped before things went too far.  
> Just two or three more chapters left to wrap this up. I should really see this done


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri and his friends stormed the Imperial Castle of Enbarr and confronted the Flame Emperor. Yet, he was not prepared to face a more dark and twisted truth hiding beneath.

Dimitri let out a battle cry as he called upon his forces to smash through the castle’s defence. The empire forces were no match against the combined forces of the Kingdom and the Alliance. They breached past the soldiers guarding the castle entrance and stormed into the castle interior.

The Flame Emperor awaited them in the throne room, with soldiers guarding every corner of the spacious room. “Anyone who stands in our way must be killed,” the Flame Emperor commanded. “We cannot let them destroy our plans.”

“There it is, the Flame Emperor!” Dimitri pointed out. “Smash him down to claim our victory! Peace is just within our grasp. Let's end this all together!”

The snipers and bow knights initiated their attacks first. They rained down arrows upon the mages to clear a path so that the cavalry units could advance. Sylvain and Ferdinand led the charge as they cleared enemies who stood in their way. Ingrid and Claude took care of enemies who tried to attack from a distance. Annette and Linhardt stood close to Sylvain and Ferdinand as they took down mages who tried to attack the cavalry force.

Claude then commanded his men to help take care of the soldiers so that Dimitri could make his way to the Flame Emperor. Dimitri gave Claude a nod before turning to Felix. “The Flame Emperor awaits us. Are you ready?”

“As long as you’re ready, I am prepared to take care of everything,” Felix said, holding his sword in a firm grip. “Go on and be the boar you are. There’s no way we’re going to lose this here.”

“Let’s stop him together,” Dimitri said, tightening his grip on Areadbhar. The relic glowed, as if calling for blood to be spilled. He charged forward, cutting down enemies who stood in his way. Felix was a step behind him, hot on his heels as he shielded Dimitri from any arrows or magic attacks. They stepped before the Flame Emperor. The Flame Emperor attacked them by throwing his axe at them, but Felix shot it away with his magic. Dimitri raised his lance to jab at the Flame Emperor but a magical shield was quickly erected and repelled Dimitri’s attack. Felix joined in the fight, casting his sword with magic as he delivered a slash towards the barrier, cutting down its defense. The moment when the shield fell down gave Dimitri an opening. He then raised Areadbhar and prepared to pierce it through the Flame Emperor.

“Your Majesty, please stop!” someone called out as a ball of dark magic was being hurled towards Dimitri. It did not seem like it was meant to attack him, but Dimitri reacted fast and dodged the attack. The momentarily distraction caused his lance to miss its target, knocking off the Flame Emperor’s mask instead.

“Urg…” The Flame Emperor let out a groan as the lance grazed past his face. Time seemed to stop when everyone finally got a full look of the person behind the mask. Even Dimitri was too shocked to move. He recognized that petite build and eyes that reflected her calm judgement and charisma. Even though her long hair has lost its colour and turned white, he could not be fooled by her appearance.

“I-It can’t be…” he muttered. “This can’t be a joke, can it?”

“Edelgard is the Flame Emperor?! How could this be?!” Even Claude couldn’t hide his surprise at the revelation.

Edelgard blinked for a while as she looked around, her eyes seemed blank and hazed from the battle. She tried to stand up but her legs gave away and she collapsed onto the ground. “Lady Edelgard!” Hubert reacted fast and quickly went to help her.

“Hubert, what’s going on here?” Dimitri asked. The remaining imperial soldiers either surrendered or retreated from the battle.

“I believe you need to know about this,” Hubert said, as if expecting for this moment. “Lord Arundel… He is the one orchestrating everything.”

“Well, we’ve heard a lot about this guy. Care to spare us the details?” Claude asked.

“It is a long story. More than ten years ago, the noble houses of Adrestia instigated a soft coup to strip the previous emperor of his power. Duke Aegir and Lord Arundel were some of the few main conspirators,” Hubert explained to them. “In order to attain their goal, they gained support from some shadow organization and threw the empire into chaos. If that was not enough, Her Majesty and her siblings were imprisoned underneath the castle to be used as specimens for blood experiments.”

“B-Blood experiments, you said?” Rhea gasped when Hubert told them this. “To think that they would do this in the dark…”

“All of Her Majesty’s siblings died during the experiment. She was the sole survivor and bore two crests from the incident,” Hubert continued. “They wanted to use the power of the crests to create chaos and take control of Fodlan. But Lady Edelgard refused to reign under their will and planned to dispose of them.”

“Is that why my father was stripped from his title?” Ferdinand asked. “Because of what they had done to the empire?”

“The corrupted nobles were one matter, but the other organizations involved weren’t so simple. It is true that Her Majesty had removed the corrupted nobles from court and attempted to consolidate power on the throne.” Hubert explained to them. “Those Who Slither in the Dark, that’s how we called them, they had another plan in motion when Lady Edelgard decided to dispose of them.”

“Is it of the crest experiment they had done on her?” Dimitri asked.

“Lady Edelgard may have managed to remove the corrupted nobles from court, but wrestling power from Those Who Slither in the Dark is not an easy task.” Hubert let out a sigh. “This is all my fault. I failed to stop them from staining Lady Edelgard’s hands.”

From Hubert’s account, Lord Arundel and his mysterious men continued their experiments on Edelgard without her knowledge. By controlling the crest they had implanted on her, they created the Flame Emperor persona and controlled her. She was meant to cause havoc in the empire by causing people to believe that the Flame Emperor was instigating a coup to conquer Fodlan when she was merely a puppet in the scheme. By the time when Hubert discovered their plans, it was too late. He was locked up, and they took complete control of Edelgard’s conscience.

“That’s horrible. To think they would use such a trick to set us up and rope us into fighting against each other,” Ingrid winced at the thought of it.

“The attack on Herveil Village… The Tragedy of Duscur and the assassination attempt on Prince Dimitri, is that all their doing?” Gilbert questioned, his face lined with wrinkles from all the frowning.

“I’m assuming you mean Cornelia, don’t you?” Hubert mused. “While I do not know much about the happenings in the kingdom, I do believe that she was one of them. They are people who manipulate people from the shadows, creating conflict among us so as to further their goal.”

“They will not be forgiven for their atrocities,” Dimitri said, rage laced in his voice. “They would use such drastic methods to achieve their goals. If we don’t stop them, more innocent people will die under their thumb.”

“Lady Rhea, I believe that this is the moment we have been waiting for,” Seteth told the archbishop. “The culprit that we’re searching for, if we don’t stop them, Fodlan will never know peace.”

“Those Who Slither in the Dark… They must be defeated if we want to end this war,” Rhea said, carefully maintaining a void expression. “They’re not simple enemies we can defeat though. We must stay cautious.” She turned to face Dimitri. “They must’ve been targeting Prince Dimitri because of the Sword of the Creator and the power that flows in his blood.”

“Will you tell us more about it? You seem to know a lot about these people.” Claude asked. “Why did you hide it from us?”

“My apology for keeping things away from you all, but I have my own reasons,” Rhea said softly. “The Sword of the Creator… It was my…”

But her words got interrupted for Lord Arundel and his men entered the throne room, alerting everyone to their presence. Dimitri felt his blood run cold at the sight of the man. Felix and some of the soldiers adopted an alert stance as the man walked up towards where Edelgard was. “You’re just another failure.” Hubert shot Lord Arundel a glare as he helped Edelgard into a sitting position. “We invested all of our energy to use the defiled beast’s blood as fuel to your flame so that you may burn even the Goddess herself. And yet, you let yourself be defeated by all these lowly beasts. I’m disappointed with you.”

“Uncle… No, Lord Arundel, I demand to know the truth,” Dimitri said. “What did you do to Edelgard? Do you know something about Duscur and Fhirdiad?”

“You never get tired with your questions, do you?” Arundel rolled his eyes at him. “But I suppose it doesn’t hurt to tell you a bit. Edelgard, or you could say the Flame Emperor, was our creation. With the power of her two crests, we will eradicate the beasts controlling Fodlan.”

“You dare to defy the Goddess and perform inhumane experiments on human beings!” Rhea shouted out. “How do you benefit from doing such things?”

“And why should you ask, Archbishop Rhea? Or should I say, Seiros?” Arundel jeered at her, causing Rhea to flinch back a bit at the revelation. “Thousands of years ago, the Goddess destroyed our homeland and forced us to live in the dark. We hid away from the public and plotted our revenge so that we could see the light again.”

“And all that experiment you had done on Edelgard? What does it achieve?” Dimitri pressed on.

“Humans are weak beings, driven by greed and power. We helped the imperial nobility strip the emperor of his power in exchange for the royal children whom we experimented on.” Arundel further explained. “The Crest of Flames, is the epitome of crests and possessed fearsome power that could kill even the kin of the Goddess, but that crest is long lost in history. In the end, our research bore fruit and our little Edelgard here manifested the Crest of Flames. With the Crest of Flames, she will unleash the full power of the Sword of the Creator and free Fodlan from the hands of those wretched beasts.”

“So you’re the one who had been following us during our mission at Zanado,” Seteth concluded. “You took advantage of the situation and tried to snatch the Sword of the Creator from our grasp.”

“Even if you had the Sword of the Creator, you would not be able to unlock the sword’s full power,” Rhea said. “After all, Prince Dimitri has absorbed the Crest of Flames when he came into contact with the sword. The sword has already chosen him.”

“I expected you would say that,” Arundel snickered. “But then I supposed that you will not stop interfering with our plans. It was a pain in the neck really.” He grunted a bit. “We had planned for so long in hope of retrieving the Sword of the Creator so that we could take control of Fodlan, but once again you foiled our plan.” 

“Wh-What do you intend to do?” Claude asked. Dimitri tightened his grip on his lance, a bad feeling creeping up his spine.

“It’s true that you had your hands on the Sword of the Creator, but don’t get overboard with it. One of my men had reported the incident at Zanado and we have found a solution to remedy that.” With a snap of his finger, several mages teleported to his side, among them was Lysithea.

“Master, this sword is yours to use as you see fit,” Lysithea said as she handed the Sword of the Creator to Arundel. The sword let out a devilish red glow, as if thirsting for power.

“Lysithea, how could you do this?” Claude asked in shock. “Don’t tell me you’ve been working under him as a spy this entire time?”

“That would explain why you came to Morfis Island,” Linhardt squinted. “You came to Morfis Island around the same time as Dimitri, and many incidents happened since your arrival. T thought everything was just a coincidence or something. In fact, you had been spying on the Church of Aegle so that they would have a chance to seek out our weak spot and attack.”

“I had made up my mind,” Lysithea said with an expressionless face. “Arundel was the one who taught me magic and I am in his debt. I would do anything to serve him and see that his goals are attained.”

“Even at the cost of killing your friends?” Dimitri questioned back. “Why would you help someone who seeks bloodshed instead of helping us fight for peace?”

“You can judge me however you liked, but I had sworn my fealty to Lord Arundel.” She said back. “After all, I believe in his ideals to remove corruption from this world. It’s what is needed to build a world better than what we are living in.”

“You did a great job, young one. You have contributed greatly to our cause, we are now one step closer to realizing our goals.” Arundel let out a sinister smile as he accepted the Sword of the Creator from her. “For thousands of years, we had been hiding in the shadows plotting our revenge. Today we shall bring the light back and destroy those beasts! With the Sword of the Creator, it’s time we carve a new path for Fodlan!”

“You… What are you planning to do?!” Dimitri yelled as the sword began to glow. Edelgard gasped and squirmed as Arundel used his dark magic to control her. The artificial crest implanted on the sword reacted with Edelgard’s Crest of Flames and let out an eerie glow. The sword slowly fused into Edelgard as she began to transform, her body taking a monstrous form that towered over them.

“Wh-What’s the meaning of this?” Rhea exclaimed, everyone was shocked at what had unfolded before their eyes. Some of the soldiers took a step back while some readied their weapons as if anticipating an attack.

“Lord Arundel, how dare you use such dirty tactics?” Hubert snarled.

“I will do anything it takes to achieve what I want,” Arundel said, standing before the monstrous form that Edelgard transformed into. “Behold, our greatest creation, the Hegemon Husk!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday Felix and Happy Dimilix Week! I am glad I am in time to post a chapter featuring them on this very special day.  
> This chapter was originally longer than what was posted but I decided to separate it into two parts to differentiate between the two battles. Once the second part is uploaded, then the finale of the story won't be far away.


End file.
